then you shall still keepe a firme hand vpon the head-straine and trot him with a good spirit therevpon and euer in twenty or thirty yards straiten the reynes of your trench to shorten his liberty which what with his fast going and the deepenes of the plowed ground will make him lift all his feet very orderly after you haue trotted him after this manner a little while for it must not bee long for wearying him through the toyle thereof haue him vpon the hard ground as before ere you light vpon which worke him with your hand and seat till you feele him lift his feet very loftily and orderly which hee will soone doe for the changing of him from deepe and vneuen earth to firme and smooth will bring him to bee very lofty and quicke in his going if you bee not too greedy to cause him to doe too much at a time and if you obserue to end vpon the firme grownd before you alight except he begin to be too busie with f 1. Pr. 32. a. his feet and then you shall vse him continually vpon the plowed ground till they be brought to a true time And thus vse him for ten dayes or a fortnight before you depart from that earth for the place being a fortifier and the earth a correcter if you depart and leaue these instructers before hee bee so perfect that you can command him your selfe e When to depart from deep earths whensoeuer hee shall offend and you be not neere such a place to haue reliefe then you must bee forced to tamper with him Theo. 19. a. you selfe and then if you bee not perfect in your iudgement to know where and how to helpe you shall ouerthrow whatsoeuer before you set vp which neglect doth much disgrace the man and confound the Horses sense Note further that in all this lesson you obserue to keepe his Note head steady and to keep his body in a straight line for if there be a disorder in either of them it will much darken his grace and glory and therefore if hee carry his head on either side correct him on the contrary shoulder as thus If hee carry it towards the left hand correct him on the right shoulder either with stirrop or switch and that will make him looke to that side Theo. 23.b. on which hee is troubled if you giue your hand liberty for his mouth to glide vpon the trench But if that will not serue turne your heele to his shoulder and tickle him therevpon with your spurre and that will cause him to yeeld in his shoulder and turne his head presently which so soone as hee doth let him stand and cherish him but in any case doe not strike him hard therewith least the pricking swell and so impostumate in the flesh for that the shoulder is full of carnosity and the blood fester and so fistulate therein CHAP. 29. How to make your Colt trot side-wayes VVHen you haue brought your Colt to trotte truely and comely and to carry his head and body firme and stayed then if you please for his further grace and to shew your iudgement in the Art you may make him trot side-wayes which you shall doe by keeping your hands firme vpon the reynes of your trench and laying the contrary reyne close to his necke and your legge close to the contrary side to that hand you would haue him to goe on holding your rodde also on the contrary shoulder And so by vsing the same motion with 1. Pra. 18.e. your body as you doe when you would haue him to beat his trot standing in his very motion you shall make him goe side-wayes by the aforesaid helps For instance when as you haue trotted him forwad a little and then stayed him you shall straighten your hand to keepe him from pressing forward and moue your selfe vp and downe in your seat to keep his bodie still in action In which motion if a How to make your horse trot side-wayes you would haue him goe on your right hand you shall lay the left reyns close to his neck thrust your left knee close to that poynt fitting most vpon your left buttocke and putting your legge backe lay it close towards his flancke and by laying your sticke close to his left shoulder you shall cause him to goe toward your right hand which so soone as he doth let him stand and cherish him then make him goe towards your left hand vsing the like on the contrary side as the laying your right reyne to his necke your right knee close to that poynt of the saddle sitting most vpon your right buttocke with the same legge close to his flancke and your sticke vpon his right shoulder cause him to goe on your left hand and thus by keeping your body mouing vse him till hee bee so perfect that hee will goe on either side so soone as hee shall but feele the motion of the reyne to either side of his necke or your knee to the saddle without any other apparant motion For whereas I haue set forth to vse such manifest motions at the first that any body may perceiue them it is because your Colt may the easilier distinguish of them whereby he may the more easily conceiue of your minde which after hee doth you shall obserue this as a generall rule as well in all other lessons A generall rule as in this that as he hath knowledge of your will and increaseth in cunning you shall mitigate your motions by little Theo. 22.c. and little till they be so couert that a perspicuous eye cannot 15.e. g perceiue them When you haue brought him to such perfection that he will trot as it were standing then you shall make him also trot side-wayes after you haue trotted him some distance forward by giuing him the contrary motion aforesaid without intermission on that hand you would haue him to goe on for so hee will keepe the same time and grace in going that hee kept in trotting forward Note that if in this lesson hee doth at any time presse hard Note vpon the hand and so desire to goe forward that then you giue him a sodaine iert or two with the trench in his mouth Theo. 27.c. and thrust your legges forward withall to keep his hinder parts 15.d. in and it will be a present remedy for that But whereas many teach that when a horse either vpon his teaching to stoppe aduance turne or goe side-wayes if he presse forward vpon the hand that they should cause him to retire backe as farre as hee An old custome but a grosse error pressed forward thereby to make him vnderstand his owne fault the better I wish a neglect thereof and my reason is that it will make his body so apt to goe backe that it will bee farre 2 vnfit to moue forward as hee should those two motions being contrary And further it being vsed as a correction he
large turne for weakning of his necke helping him to turne by laying your contrary legge to his side on that hand you minde to turne him and so Trot him home by the gentlest meanes you can then let his keeper come gently vnto him and hold him by the head till you be alighted from his backe and so haue him into the stable rubbing him well and then let him stand Note that if at his first backing whilst he is in his keepers hand to leade forward hee be desirous to goe faster then you Note would haue him that then in no wise hee hold him by force but letting the rope goe to full length suffer him to runne halfe a dosen times about him on either hand with you on his back and that will be a sufficient correction for that at the first except you disquiet him through you disorder for if he should thinke to hold him by strong hand it would spoyle all you had 1 Pra. 14. i. done before in causing him to striue the more extremities being repugnant to Art CHAP. 19. Of backing a young Colt after other Horses ALthough diuers antient Horse-men haue counselled that a young Colt at his first handling should be taught by following other Horses and also Maister Morgan doth aduise that he should both be taught to lead and to be backt after the same manner yet experience hath brought me to a contrary minde the reasons why are First I must needs confesse 1 For a young Colt to follow other Horses at his first backing is nought and why it is a very good way if this Art of Horsemanship did tend to no other end at his first backing but to make him gentle to carry a burden or sackes to the Market for then they would soone be brought to carry a packe and follow other horses without much to doe very willingly But it hath a further extent for it aymeth to bring a Horse to true obedience and to giue him a comely and gracefull Reyne a commendable Pace and a handsome a The end of this Art Theo. 9.h. 11.d. carriage of himselfe in euery one of his parts which can neuer be effected by this order in making him louing and gentle onely sith there is still an inherency of rebellion by nature that is still vnreformed Wherefore no maruayle though he condemne all those Horses as without vse if they be not of such perfect breeding and shape as he desireth seeing that neither they nor these can be Theo. 19.b. brought to the height of their disposition by such indirect grounds of Art which he doth set downe Secondly there will 2 be in that proceeding a great losse of time for whereas he doth will that a Colt should be exercised in leading after another b A losse of time Horse nine or tenne daies before he doe any other matter to him and after to carry some heauy burden vpon his Saddle some seuerall dayes after during all which times he by this document should not weare any thing in his mouth but onely a halter on his head and then after he is backt still to follow another horse two or three dayes more in which time any industrious Horseman may teach a Colt both to take his way willingly and giue him a good ground of helps and corrections both by hand and foot which hee will then be altogether barren of in that it is so long ere hee haue a trench in his mouth without the true vse whereof whatsoeuer a man doth is most absurd Thirdly this is a cure that doth heale an old festred sore 3 outwardly but neuer searcheth to the bottome for if hee bee a Colt of any sad disposition it will make him so extreame stubborne that hee will goe but as himselfe lusteth without any grace at all And againe if he bee of a free disposition it will make him so wilfull that when hee should bee commanded to Theo. 19. Chap. 20. doe any thing which he disliketh will as a soare festred breaketh out anew fall to rebellion he neuer hauing the vse of motions taught him And lastly he by following another Horse so long will get 4 such a habit thereof that when hee shall chance to meete with one by the way he will bee very hardly intreated to passe by him especially if he be any thing disquieted before in that custome hath made him more frequent to follow them then Theo. 14. ◠to be gouerned by the man For although by this order hee may bee brought to gentlenes and so bee caused to goe forward c Theo. 34. ◠according to his owne liking yet when the man shall thinke to work him for further perfection he will vse resistance because he was neuer brought to obedience before by the meanes of which ignorance hee is brought to restiffe qualities being trained according to his owne wil and not to the knowledge Theo. 20. ◠18. a. of Art as I haue said in the 20. Chapter of the Theorick because this tendeth to obedience towards the man whereby d A difference betwixt the Horse yeelding to the Man and the Man yeelding to the Horse they two may be ioyned in one And although there may bee said that there is an obedience in this yet the difference is that in this coniunction the Man doth yeeld to the appetite of the Colt but in the other to seeke a reducement of it to obey the will of the man being led by reason for the want of which consideration is the cheife cause of all manner of restiffenes and of a dead and hard mouth so that the Colt will runne away vpon euery discontent And further Theo. 17.h. as the gauling of the mouth is not cōmendable nor agreeing 1 Pra. 6. a. to Art in that it is therby hardened and made horny by rigor and violence so to vse a Colt after these directions will neuer bring him to true subiection of the hand for that his mouth was neuer quickened with a true relish by helps and motions for although it is not hard and horny by bruising yet it will be so soft and dead that if hee be displeased hee will no more respect the trench it being so smooth as it should be then he had a fuzze or spunge in his mouth which is the cause that so many varieties of hard bittes and snaffles were inuented Wherefore no way that I euer found either by practise or reading e to preuent all these inconueniences is so certaine as to Theo. 10.d. back a young Colt after the former order for so the Colt is continually gouerned after the mans directions CHAP. 20. Of the commendations of the Head-straine with the vses BEfore I trace any further in this Tract of taming a young Colte I will speake a little more of the commendations and vse of the Head-straine because it is the onely instrument that can be vsed for staying placing and making firme the horses
a horse that is for that vse or end Which when I had reformed in short time I brought him to ouerrunne There is no error that hath not some vaile to couer its shame all the aforesaid horses and afterward wanne a Bell course against sixe Horses contrary to the expectation of all the field which thought it brough an admiration yet it was coloured with that old saying a dogge hath a day and that was his day to runne so well But it is strange that a Horse should haue but one good day in all his life for he neuer made the like course after but the reasons thereof I will omit least I should dull the eares of the Reader with such a rude prolixe discourse Which circumstance louing reader I haue set downe as I say for thy better instruction least thou shouldest rely too much vpon former traditions as I haue done and so be inthralled Note and intangled in that net And therefore to keepe thy selfe free from that snare hold no mans opinion authenticall further then reason and experience shall induce thee Wherefore seeing as I haue showne that young Colts haue beat old horses and such Colts as haue had a better inclination Delaies are dangerous haue beene made worse and those which haue had a worse inclination haue beene made better and that the withholding of them from their true exercise till such a certaine time bringeth a habit of idlenesse and encreaseth rebellion in not being kept in subiection but as a wanton child Sensitiue creatures regard their owne ease more then glory will doe but what them lust so that they will neuer show forth their greatest grace and glory let none that will not respect the pleasing of their Horse more then their owne profit or the truth regard so much the time as their Horses inclination following his towardnesse by Art and practice and thereby he shall bring his Horse to his highest perfection CHAP. 9. The first ordering of a Hunting Horse IF you take delight in this noble sport of hunting either for the helth of your body by riding and ayring or for the delight to see the Hounds Hunt or else for the trayning of your horse 1 Pra. 22. 23 24. 25. 26. 2. li. 5. 6. to finde the excellency of his goodnesse and indurance for the better obtayning of your desire I would wish that he should first bee brought to such perfection in all the former lessons by Art as hath beene dilated and then to adde thereto the order of diet by feeding that thereby hee may come to the best worth that is within him Therefore when you haue wayed 1. Pr. 27. your Colt so that he knoweth how to behaue himselfe as he should in true obedience which you may doe in a quarter of a yeares practice after he be first backed Then you may for his better encrease of courage and strength if it please you put him to grasse and so let him runne all summer from midde May till Bartholomew-tide or at the least from the middest of Summer till that time for then the weather is too hot to giue him such exercise as he should which if it be otherwise being Note rightly considered it doth more hurt then good and so better to be idle then ill imploied although some loue to be practising allbeit be without knowledge or reason but the fruits they reape thereby is answerable being as good neuer a whit as neuer a deale the better nay oftentimes the worse in regard of the errors that come through neglect Wherfore your Colt hauing runne all Summer till Bartholomew-tide at which time as it is generally holden let him bee The time to take your horse into the house taken into the house because the weather in the day waxeth somewhat coole that hee may bee exercised though hee bee fatte without danger and the grownd likewise beginneth to bee cold and soft except great drought so that hee will not he at nor beat his legges And also the grasse at that time looseth his nourishing sappe and moysture so that the nourishment thereof concocteth to raw crudities whereby the flesh they get afterward is not naturall nor sound by reason Long and cold nights are not naturall for a horse that the nights then begin to be long and cold which is an enemy to the horse and abateth as much lust in the night as he getteth in the day But whereas it hath beene holden that a horse should not be cloathed nor dressed for two or three dayes at his first housing When to cloth him at his first housing I see no reason but custome to induce one thereto Wherefore because it is a thing of small moment and turneth to no great profit or losse I will sleight it ouer and leaue it to mens phantasies as indifferent The nature of wheat straw And for his food whereas it hath beene vsed to giue wheat straw at his first housing to take vp his belly I am contrary 1. Pra. 7. thereto for it being hot and dry according to the nature of the horse will dry vp his body too much and inflame the liuer with heat which will cause a distemperature in the blood and also make his body costiue both by the drynesse thereof and also in that the dung will bee retained so long in his body that it will heat of it selfe for want of such full feeding as would expell the excrements according to the inclinations of his nature Wherefore if you desire to keepe your horse in perfect state of Naturall feeding doth best satisfie the appetite body feed him with such food as is best agreeing to his nature good old and sweet hay yet if it be somewhat rough it is not much materiall especially for a full feeding horse for hee will eat of that more sparingly if he haue any reasonable proportion of prouender But if you see hee feed too fast vpon hay if you mixe or blend it with a third part of wheat-straw it will not be much amisse and let moderate exercise morning and euening doe the rest that wheat-straw should haue done Thus being taken into the house you shall rub him all ouer How to order your Horse at his first taking into the house his body with a hard wispe and sheare his iawes head and eares and cut away the superfluous haires from his musle and eyes then take out his yard and wash it clensing all the durt and filth from his sheath that is gathered by his Summers running Then let his feet bee well opened betwixt the quarters Of Shooing and the frush for hoofe-binding and let him bee shod handsomely the shoos being made according to the forme of his hoofe All which diuersities because Mr. Blundeuille and Mr. Markham haue intreated of sufficiently I will not stand vpon them heere but referre those which are desirous to be further satisfied therein to their workes Onely during the time
and to vse him to the cry of the dogges to increase his delight which you shall doe after this manner After you haue serued your Horse for night you shall come to If he be not layd him early in the next morning as about fiue of the clocke and first sift him the quantity of halfe a pecke of oates for they will be well digested by such time as he be drest and in the time of ranging to finde sport which he shall eate whilst your are making cleane your stable then you shall bridle him and tye him to the bare racke and dresse him and after he is drest saddle him then throw his housing cloth ouer him and so let him 2. Pr. 5. stand till the Hounds be ready to goe forth At which time you shall take his backe rake him gently into the field vntill such time as some game presents it selfe vnto you But because it is the first day of his hunting so that he cannot tell how to behaue himselfe vpon vneauen grounds you Hast maketh wast shall not put him at any time to aboue halfe his speed that hee may haue the better time to learne how to carry a stayd body and handle his legges both vpon deepe and light earths Neither shall you toyle him too long for wearying him till hee Long royle is to be eschewed at the first till the body be firme be acquainted with that exercise for daunting of his spirit and causing him to be lash bodied but to thwart and crosse from place to place to make in with the dogges to vse him to their cry because a Horse doth take great delight and pleasure therein and it will also stirre vp his desire to follow them the more willingly Thus you shall spend the time in Hunting for two or three How to vse your Horse after Hunting howers or as in your discretion you feele your Horse or the sport afford then you shall haue him home and set him into the stable hauing care that there be good store of fresh litter vnder him to stand vpon and tye him in his bridle vp to the racke hauing a little fresh haye in it for him to chaw vpon in his snafle to coole his mouth and to sharpen his appetire then rubbe him exceedingly with dry straw both head necke vnder the forebowels belly flanke and his legges withall the other parts of his body then take off his Saddle and rub his backe very well and so cloath him vp with all speed for taking cold and 2. Pra. 9. wadde him round with loose wispes of straw and if he be very hot throw another cloth ouer him loose to keepe him that hee 1. Pr. 6. coole not too fast and so let him stand an houre or till you feele him somewhat cold often stirring him to and fro in his stall gently with a sticke for that will keep his legges and his ioynts more nimble Then draw his bridle and giue him such a quantity Note of prouender as you shall thinke good but not so much as to take away his stomacke which will be some-what weake through the heate of his body and want of water and putting haye in his racke and taking away the loose cloth for keeping him hot too long let him rest for two or three houres or there 1. Pr. 6. abouts during which time you shall make a mash ready of halfe a pecke of mault and put no more water to it then it will sweeten and you thinke your Horse will drinke and let it stand couered till the water hath gotten the strength of the malt Of making a Mash which you shall perceiue by your tast for it will be very sweet and also by your feeling for it will be clammy like hony and rope like bird-lime which you shall giue him to drink when it is so cold that you can hardly see it smoke least the smoake should strike vp into his nose and so cause him to take a dislike and let Though the smell be strange to him at the first yet the tast will prouoke him him haue no other water that night and therefore if he will not drinke it at the first let it stand by him all night and set it so that he spill it not neither with his feet nor head Now this mash is very profitable for it is comfortable for his stomacke and it will keepe his body in a temperate heat after his labour and also it will clense and bring away such grease The benefit of a Mash and grosse humors as are disolued by that daies exercise After that you shall giue him as much prouender as you thinke he will eate and rubbe him all ouer to clense the sweat away that is dryed and barked outwardly and rub his legges very well 1. Pra. 14. then put fresh haye in his racke and shake good store of litter vnder him that he may rest the better and shut your stable close and let him rest that night The next morning come to him about sixe of the clocke for that is early enough because the mornings rest is as delightfull and comfortable aswell for a Horse as a man for then the braine is more thin and pure the meat being concocted whereby the sleepe is more sweet but open the dore very softly for The cause of quiet sleepe Met ap disquieting him if hee bee layd which if hee bee let him lye till hee rise of himselfe Somnus est sentientis facultatis requies Then goe to him and the first thing you doe looke to his dung what colour it is of for if it bee greasie and foule then it is a signe that the former dayes exercise did him good in dissoluing Obseruations from the dung some of that foule glut that was in him but if you perceiue no alteration of colour nor that it is greasie then it is a signe that that day made no dissolution and therfore you may take the more of him the next Then looke in his manger and see whether hee hath eaten Obserue how he feedeth vp all his prouender which if hee haue not sweepe it cleane away and bridle him vp but if hee haue giue him a little seruing more to eate whilst you make cleane his stable After bridle 2. Pr. 10. Chap. him and tye him to the Racke and dresse him and haue him forth to the water as aforesaid for this should bee a day of rest And thus you shall vse him to the field thrise a weeke till you haue brought his body to such cleannesse that you may iudge both of his speed and toughnesse Now for obseruations you shall note that you vse him in Generall obseruations the dayes of his rest which must be euery other day at the least in all poynts as you did during the time of his inseaming But whereas it hath beene vsuall to giue a Scouring the day of his Of Scowrings rest
feeling as a blind man is guided by leading and that he must direct the Horse by the motions of his body as a Pilot doth direct a Ship by the stearing of the helme therefore it is fitting that a man should haue knowledge how to rule his owne body that hee may the better know how to command the body of the Horse for the effecting whereof a a The Theorick part must bee learned before the Practick can be gained Theo. 4.b. man must first vnderstand the Theoricke thereof before he can tell rightly how to performe the Practicke part For else he should resemble some trades-man as Carpenter or such like which doth vsurp the trade of a Taylor or any other who hath both sheares and cloth before him but yet cannot tell how to dispose of them aright for the making of a garment Therefore for the illustrating of which I will so briefly as I can set downe how a man should seate and carry himselfe vpon his Horse because I will not treat of it in the Practicke part For there I doe not intend to speak any thing as concerning how it should be done but what is to be done because I would not confuse the vnderstanding of the reader For it may be he doth thinke there is Preface Theo. 3. p 4. i too much spoke already for such a small knowledge as this Art doth desire But yet if he rightly conceiue how long this part of Horsemanship hath beene vsed and in all generations how many haue spent all their life times to gaine haires and yet it is left doubtfull b Vncertainty proueth the inâ—â—â—catenesse of 〈◊〉 Aâ—t some holding one opinion some another and yet all dissenting from the truth and also that the knowledge hereof is not rightly gained in the whole time of a mans life there is so many errors crept in both by traditions and authority The reason being that ignorance is propogated but knowledge is not I cannot thinke but then he will imagine that I rather spoke a great deale too little for the purging of these errors from the Art then any deale enough for the planting of the truth because it is more hard to purge error from Art then to teach the ground of the true Art Now therefore I doe desire Theo. 6. b that they would with patience endure the time spending in the reading hereof though it be both craggy and rough because the path hath neuer beene before troden and especially in regard I haue taken more paines to obserue and collect Note such obseruations as will take away the cause of this ruine then they shall take paines in reading and perusing these collections for it is more paines for a Gardiner to proportionate his garden and to set it with variety of flowers then it is to them which come into it to gather a nosegay But to persist that a man may the better know how to seate and carry his body aright he must obserue that his seate must be iust in the mid-part of the horse betwixt the sterne of his â— How to place the body tayle and his eares he standing at his greatest pride because that he may the more easely command both the fore parts and the hinder as occasion is offered For in regard that his Horse and he should both make but one body in their motions and Theo. 38. l many of their motions are tending circularly he must imagine that they likewise should both of them haue but one d A true pâ—opoâ—â—ion center and his head to be the zenith thereof and as a line drawn from one part of the circumference passing by the center to the other part which is the diamiter doth deuide the circle into two equall parts and likewise that there cannot be a circle drawne except one foot of the compasse doth continually remayne in the center euen so if a line be drawne from the verticall point of the man to the Nadir of the horse and passe by the center of them it doth deuide them into two equall parts e No true motion except it be in one and the selfe same center in like manner and likewise they cannot make any true motion except the man be in the center or midest in regard he is the chiefe gouernour of the motions for if there be any excentricity betwixt them so that their motions doe not begin and end together there cannot be any good consonant in their proceedings And likewise his actions will be nothing seemely nor commendable for though his Horse rise very high before and behind yet the mans body should moue very little but onely A simile to obserue time as couertly as he can euen as the pinâ—cular part of a paire of scalles doth moue very little although both ends of the beame discribe a great arch Also hee must carry his body vpright neither yeelding too f The man ought to cary an vpright body farre backe as if hee were pulling at a great tree nor too forward as if he were a sleep for those two motions serue to other ends as hereafter shal be showne neither to sit on one side like a crab or to hang his body ouer as if he were drunken as I haue seen some horsemen doe which haue carried good fame for when they would haue their horses go sidewise they would hang their bodies so farre ouer the contrary side as if they were to haue fallen forth of the saddle so that a man might easely perceiue what lesson they were teaching as farre as they could be seene which is a very grosse error in a Horseman Neither g How hee should carry his legs ought he to carry his legs so close to his horses sides that hee cannot giue any motion therewith except hee first thrust them forth for so by continuall custome of his legs touching his side he will be so carelesse that he will become very sadde and haue no quicke motions except the spurre be alwaies in his side or at least he shall be driuen to strike so hard with the calues of his legs that the beholders may perceiue him a good distance off which thing also is an absurdity Neither must he carry his legs out staring like stilts without ioynts as Saint George painted on horse-backe before his horses fore shoulder or at the least against his midde shoulder for so hee cannot help nor correct him but the bringing in of his legs wil be very apparant to the beholders and also if his horse should be any thing stirring he cannot be able to keepe his seate truely which wil be held very rediculous in a horseman Therefore for the auoyding of all these extreames he must h How the man should seat himselfe seeke the meane which is he must sit with an vpright body his nose being opposite to the pole betwixt the horses eares and in looking downe it may be a perpendicular to the mid seame of the saddle with his
error be in the fore parts the cause therof comes from the hinder and contrarily to make them set foreward that the hinder parts may haue liberty to follow after and the cause of this operation in the contrary is that if the Horse be lighter before then behinde then the working vpon his hinder parts doth keep downe the fore because that whereas before the hinder parts were made the more heauy in regard he did repose the most strength in them to striue with his fore parts now the other shall beare a proportionate waight whereby they shall be made the heauier and the other more light and so for the hinder parts if they be the more light as most Horses are through the abuse of the hand the like reason for the foreparts And in like manner the cause of all other errors may be iudged of by the like obseruations which for to speake of would be infinite and therefore these shall onely suffice to giue a ground for the rest with taking paines to consult from whence the cause of other errors doe arise and also they may be better perceiued by practise then by reading CHAP. 17. How the Man should know when to helpe his Horse AMongst all the worldly gifts that are bestowed on man there is none more precious then Time for it is both the Procreatrix and deuourer of all sublunary things in regard that as in time they flourish so in time they fade againe and as those that are vegetatiue in time doe grow so contrarily in time they are cut downe and againe as there are but foure irreuocable things as Tempus Iuuentus Verbum dictum et Virginitas so this of time is the chiefe of all the rest because they are a Time the worker of all things all comprehended in it for without it there is not any thing can haue perfection Now therefore in regard it is such a necessary thing that all other things are concluded by it it is requisite that a Horseman should haue knowledge how to vse it and also how to distingush of this predicament quando least in not knowing when to helpe hee should sooner spoyle then b There are three chiefe parts of time repayre Wherefore that hee may the better answere to this interrogation when let him obserue the three chiefe parts of time which is the preter the present and the future now the preter time being lost wil be a good caueat for him to beware of the present that in making true vse of it it may bring profit to the future Now for the better Iudgement how to vse c The distinction of time is the ground of horsemanship the present time he must abreuiate it till hee come to the punctum temporis which is nunc because the horse is onely sensitiue and hath his chiefe apprehension by feeling and therefore if he doth not helpe in the very instant he cannot conceiue the mind of the man by his helpes the which that the horse may the better apprehend the man must be carefull to obserue as well the first motion of the inward disposition as of the outward action for the horse doth not commit any outward action d Caracters to know the horses disposition Theo. 34.b. but it doth first proceed from the inward desire which the man may very well perceiue by some of these characters as either by standing or by the casting of his eye backe so that the white thereof may be seene in the fore parts or by the laying of his eares either one or both in his necke or by the holding of his wind or else by the trussing vp of his body any of all which so soone as he shall perceiue let him help him instantly vpon the first show of any of the foresaid notes least if it come to the action of the body it will not be reformed without corrections Therefore he must obserue that if he be desirous to haue him stoppe if in his stopping hee desireth to stand so firme with his body that it is not apt to moue againe at a Obseruations for his stop the first motion then hee must helpe him at the very instant with the ierting of his feete forward sodainely vpon the stirrops for that will helpe to set vp his body more roundly together whereby he shall be more ready to obey the next motion And if he looke either doggedly with his eyes or else lay his eares in his necke it argueth an intention of some rebellion in his desire and therefore he must refell such perturbations by the sound of his voyce And againe if hee feele his wind to stoppe or that he trusse vp his body more then ordinarily he should then it is a signe of further disobedience and therefore vpon the first feeling of which the man must thrust him forward in his seate to help his horse in his motion that it may be the more quicke and so cause him to bestow that strength of wind and body in the quicknesse of his motion which he would haue kept otherwise for the working of his desire But if these helpes will not be sufficient for the preuention of such qualities as are intended by the show of the said characters and that either through the sullennesse of the f When helpâ— faile correction must preuaile horse or the negligence of the man they must needs become to the action of the body then they must be reformed by the helpes of correction in the which he must be very carefull to proportionate it according to the quality of the offence and the disposition of the horse which I meane not here to speake of till I come to intreate of their vse And lastly time is a great fortifier of the horses memory not onely by the continuing of his labour and abreuiating it but g He ought to distinguish time by rest and labour also by the continuing and abreuating of rest for if the man cannot distinguish betwixt labour and exercise to change the one into the other as occasion shall bee offered there will bee great errors committed through his ignorance for if he be any thing prone to obey the helpes then he must exercise him by a little at once and often till hee hath gotten some habit by practise but if he be of any rebellious disposition then he must put both himselfe and his Horse to greater labour till hee hath gained some obedience in yeelding to his helpes and euer as he findeth willingnesse so let him abreuiate his labour till it come vnto a gentle exercise to delight the horse in his well doing And heere in my iudgement they are much deceiued Theo. 9. â— which fall into the extreame of lenity as hath been said that will not put a Horse to any thing more at the first then he will willingly doe of himselfe whereby he doth get such a habit of selfe-will as it may be termed that when he shall be wrought vpon to be
brought to obedience then doth he proue so stubborne h The cause of mary Iâ—dâ—s 1 Pr. 18. a that it will triple the paines to reforme his desire more then it would haue done at the first nay it maketh many horses to be accompted Iades in regard they cannot tell how to manâ—ge them to gaine that after which they let slip at the first And the cause heereof is that they worke by the figure Hysteron 1. Pr. 19.d. Proteron in setting the Cart before the Horse which will excuse lapsis linguae but will confuse opus formae for they do cherish before there be obedience whereas there should first be obedience and after they should cherish And also they must be carefull to respect the time of rest for â— Of the time of rest till he conceiue the minde of the man by his motions hee must not rest long and his exercise must be little and often for if he rest long before he hath some ground hee will forget betwixt times and so be alwayes in learning and by that meanes oftentimes cause restiuenesse for as long rest doth increase strength and courage in a Horse and also doth ground that the better which he hath learned whereby hee doth it with greater delight euen so long rest before hee be fit for it doth bring strength and coâ—rage to the contrary effect Wherefore these distinctions of time being truely obserued he shall easily finde how profitable this particle thereof when is for the perfection of his labours CHAP. 18. How the Man should know the disposition of the Horse HAuing heeretofore set forth the Theoricke Part of the Man how he should learne his owne duty now I thinke it also a He is a compleâ—t Horseman that can tâ—ll how to win the desire oâ— the Horâ—e to his will Theo. 33. c so necessary to speake somwhat of the disposition and quality of the Horse that the man may the better iudge how to vse him in his kinde that so hee may bee brought to the right knowledge of his minde and by that meanes he shall be accompted a perfect and compleate Horseman in knowing how to vnite and conioyne the appetite or desire of the Horse to his will that thereby they two may be made one subiect both in agitation and action For the concord betwixt the Man and the Horse hath some affinity to the contract betwixt a Man and his Wife An Allegory for the Woman before she betake her to a Husband is her own maister and doth whatsoeuer pleaseth her selfe but when shee is married then shee should depend vpon the gouernment of her Husband and they both should will and doe one thing if they would increase prosperously But if there be a repugnancy betwixt them so that one doth scatter as the other doth gather the one willing one thing and the other doing another then in stead of setting vp they pull downe and where they should cherish amity they foster enmity Euen so a Colt before he come to be handled it is its owne Theo. 7.c. maister going at liberty and doing what it lusteth being without subiection But when it commeth to be backed then it must bee subiect to the yoake of obedience and yeeld to the command of the Man and so bend all its actions to the will of him that there may be a simpathy and concord betwixt them but if there be in like maner an opposition the one against the other and that the Horse will not obey to that which the Man doth desire to haue him doe by his motions they being quicke and gentle so that when he would haue him stop or retire he will go Theo. 20. c b No good progression without obedience forward or to goe foot-pace hee will either trot or gallop c. Then let the Man force what he will by extremities if he cannot tell how to bring him to obedience they will agree as a Dogge and a Beare alwayes wrangling or fighting for whereas there should bee an orderly progression by obedience there will be a confused subuersion by resistance Therefore for the better establishing of this combination betwixt them it is requisite that the man should enter into the disposition of the horse that he may the better proportionate Theo. 2. l. u. his helpes and corrections according to the inclination of him Now by the disposition I vnderstand that which many heretofore improperly haue termed nature the mistaking of which word hath much defaced this Art among the common sort as I haue already shewed For it is holden as it is most true that no man can change the nature of the horse but this is to bee vnderstood of the nature or essence that the Colt receiueth at its first forming for then presently it doth receiue its properties which indeed cannot be changed As for instance it then receiueth that naturall difference from Man which is to be an irrationall and sensatiue Creature although it may bee â— Naturall properties cannot be changed said to be a liuing Creature and therfore cannot by any meanes be made rarionall and likewise its voyce to be non significatina and so cannot be altered and againe nature hath giuen it to goe vpon the earth and therefore Art cannot make him flye in the ayre and many such like which onely are immutable from nature but those accidents which come to the essence or nature of the indiuidium which recepit magis aâ—t minus et augeri aut minui potest either in quantitie or quality by Art may be reformed and may both be encreased and diminished as stoutnesse d Accidentall qualities may be altered and weaknesse of courage swiftnesse oâ— slownesse dullnesse or freenesse and such like in regard the cause of such diuersities for they are not contraries proceed from patibiliâ— qualitas for the body is moued according to the appetite or â— A Horses body is moued according to his appetite Theo. 33. d lust of the horse or else what should be the reason that the more vnlikely horse for shape should beat and make a â—ade of that horse which is more likely to the eye if the defect of shape were not helped by Art Wherefore seeing this old cloake which hath so long couered the ignorance of men I meane the nature of the horse hath goten such a rent that it will not keep off any more raine let them shake it off and cloath themselues with that which will hold out water For let the man enter into the disposition of the horse and gouerne himselfe so that he may vse him accordingly he shall finde that many things which before were held impossible will be effected with much facility But because no certaine thing can limit an vncertaine therefore it is very hard to set downe a certaine grownd how to know the true disposition of euery indiuidium for there is nothing Theo. 28. a. 1. Prac. 25c. Theo. 36.h. â— There are
where the Horse doth offend euen there must he be ready to be thrust vpon those grounds whereby he may the better conceiue the cause of his labour thereon and therefore you must obserue not to goe from those grounds for excercise till your horse be familiar with all your helpes and corrections From which if Note you should depart before the Horse haue some perfect knowledge of your will by the aforesaid meanes then when hee doth commit an error it will be rather encreased then reformed because the meanes of his teaching is taken away so that he doth neither know the cause of the one nor feele the toyle of the other And againe if you should correct him and the ground be nothing fitting thereto as vpon pauements or such like dangerous grounds then he may soone get a straine by a slip whereby your glory may be much impared CHAP. 31. That the Man must know when to correct THe last thing that you are to obserue for the vse of your corrections is to distinguish of time when to correct because the neglect of that is the abuse of all the other in regard Theo. 17. a. all things are perfected in and by time as I haue discribed Eccle. 3. 2. in the seuenteenth Chapter For as the wise man saith There is a time to sowe and a time to reape a time to plant and a time to plucke vp that which is planted c. euen so there is a time A simile to correct and a time to leaue correcting a time to labour and a time to rest all which must very respectiuely be obserued by you if you thinke to bring forth any pleasant fruit of the Vine in time For as the grape should grow so that it may be nourished with the heat of the Sunne that thereby it may be ripened in time least the frost doth wither its substance and so be without any good relish or pleasant taste Euen so if you doe not persist An application with all your corrections in such sort as they may be maintayned by the heate of truth whereby you may worke your perfection in time there will be so many errors congeald with the â—ost of ignorance that your glory will fade and so become distastefull and very vnsauory But because I haue spoken so largely hereof in the Chapter afore said I will but onely reduce the corrections to the helpes by an orderly progression that you may more aptly iudge when to vse them through which neglect is come great confusion in this Art in regard they doe not rightly conceiue the vse and benefit of time For seeing there must be an orderly proceeding in all things if they thinke to worke commendably so it must be also in this Art for Horses being sensitiue creatures must be directed by motions and helpes first and then if they will not obey to adioyne thereto corrections But herein many doe commit grosse errors for so soone as they be seated in the saddle they straight put their â— The abuse of 〈◊〉 spurres to the Horse whereby he is made so Franticke that hee doth rush forward very disorderly which is one cause of so many headstrong and runne away horses and also of many other vices which would be too long to particularize But to amplifie this point a little and giue instance how you should know when to begin and end your corrections you must first obserue the disposition of the Horse and according to 1 Theo. 19. f that you must first vse your helpes and after them your corrections for those must goe before and these must follow after but not contrarily as many improperly haue vsed and then if he be quicke and capable to vse the lesse time in correcting but if lie be dull and sad to spend the more time in reforming and so likewise of all other Horses to proportionate the time in correcting as you in your iudgement shall finde your Horses disposition to be neare or farre off either of these extreames And secondly you must haue that vnderstanding to know 2 when the Horse doth begin the first motion of disobedience either in his interior or exterior parts as in the place aforesaid I Thâ— instant time is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue showne and then at that instant you must begin your corrections and he will more easily be reformed and so abbreuiate Theo. 35. much time For as water making a breach through a banke if it be taken at first the breach is soone repayred but if it be protracted and let go further it will either cause a great A Simile inundation or else aske greater labour and more time to stop the flâ—xe thereof Euen so if you apprehend the first show of rebellion and so instantly to apply helpes and câ—rrections it will be soone supprest But if you ouerslip that as a thing of small moment it will encrease as the disposition of the horse is and so cause either a great confusion or else there must bee longer time spent and greater paâ—nes taken for the subduing thereof And lastly you must know the end of your corrections which 3 ought to tend chiefly to a desire of restitution and therefore d The conâ—inuance of correction must not correct him so long as you shall be angry but onely so long as the horse doth rebell For if you correct when you are angry more for to please and satisfie your selfe for reuenge then any desire of reforming the Subiect then when the horse doth yeeld or at the least make but a show thereof if hee can not finde any ease but still a persecution is inflicted vpon him Theo. 10.b. â— Application for anger then is hee made to become sencelesse in regard hee doth not know the cause of his tortures and so bedlam like doth run from one error to a worse whereby hee is made almost incurable Wherefore to conclude this point seeing time is such an excellent Nurse that in it all things are nourished and brought to perfection if it be rightly vsed and contrariwise such a viper that it doth eat and deuoure all if it bee abused and also such a pleasant and odoriferous herbe that it will keep its smell Theo. 17. â— all the yeare you must be carefull to carry it about you to refresh your selfe with the sent thereof in all your proceedings and it will be such a restoratiue that no infection of the contagious Lethargie of ignorance shall much possesse you CHAP. 32. Of the foure chiefe obseruations for the disposition of the Horse THus hauing gone through all the helpes and corrections with the vses of them it remaineth now to speak somewhat of those foure Characters which I set downe in the 18. Chapter Theo. 18.g. by the which a man may haue a reasonable knowledge of the horses disposition which is so necessary that whosoeuer is ignorant thereof shall bring forth more weedes then fruit in the Vineyard of
is forced back vpon a discontent and by that meanes it will make him subiect Theo. 9. i. â—o goe backe vpon occasion of euery the like and so bring a b They cloake this error with the nature of the horse â—estiffe quality as experience hath taught me for it will make him so ready to flye backe with his hinder parts which should â—ee continually kept vp to make him stand to his mouth whereby he will be so tickle mouthed that he will hardly bee brought to rest vpon the trench as stayedly as hee should or when you would haue him Note that whereas I wish you to correct him in the mouth Note you doe it very seldome and when as no other meanes will Theo. 14. a. preuaile for feare of dawling or bruising his mouth or displacing of his head for if you preserue his mouth as you ought there will bee small need of vsing that correction Note that in his going sidewayes you keepe a straight and vpright seat and likewise that your Colt carry his body firme Theo. 13.c. 18. a. and his head in its right place so that all his body moue together in a straight line your selfe mouing so firmely with him as if you both were but one entire subiect for so hee will foulde one foote ouer the other more comely and easily And note that if in his going aside hee strike eyther fore-legge Note or hinde-legge one against another or tread one foote vpon another then vse no correction for that but vse patience Theo. 9. â— toward him for the paine in striking one foote against another will be correction enough and cause him to reforme himselfe if you giue him but time and liberty Note that if he goe faster aside afore then hee doth behind or likewise contrarily as if hee be slower afore then giue him a good iert with you sticke on that buttocke hee proueth slow or else a good stroke on that flancke with your single spurre and likewise if it bee afore then correct him on that shoulder that erreth either with your stirrop or your sticke and force him sodainely with your hands vpon the reynes to cause Theo. 12. â— him moue all his fore-parts together for that will make him take them vp more quick Note that if he goe readilier on the one hand then on the other that you beginne and end on that hand he is the most vnready 1. Pr. 25.h. for that double exercise will make him more nimble and c cunning For you must obserue it as a poynt of Horsemanship to end on the same hand that you beginne on in this lesson as well as in teaching him to make his ring turnes And lastly note that whereas I wish you to hold the reines of your bridle more hard when you would haue him to goe on either hand that limitation must depend vpon your discretion for when hee is any thing towards you must giue him liberty to take delight Theo. 12.d. therein so far as he loose no part of grace in the carriage of his head and body for then his cheifest helpes must be onely by your owne seate other-wise you shall dead and harden his mouth All which things if they be truely obserued you shall make your Horse goe with such a beautifull and gallant gesture and obey by such secret motions that it will rauish the beholders and he will performe it with such willingnesse that they will thinke he doth it of his owne courage and pride CHAP. 30. Of Ambling or Pacing HAuing spoke sufficiently in the Theoricke of the abuses that are growne in this Art of Pacing whereby it hath beene till this day practised and yet not certaine trueth found how to bring a Horse to his perfection I will also here set forth Theo. 13.b. that which I haue found by experience by treading the path of the Antients and the opinion of our times and how this age hath beene intangled in the snares of such variable inuentions whereby the more they haue striuen to goe forward the more they were inthralled therein and then likewise lay downe that order which I haue also proued by practise to bring any Horse to a true pace according to the truth of this Art for some haue a wished to bring a Horse to his pace by the helpes of Tramels some with heauy shoes some with rowles of leade like pasternes Theo. 3. l. vnder the setlockes behind some likewise with wispes behinde others with shoes of aduantage hauing broad plates of iron set to the toes of the hinder shooes three or foure inches long others by hanging waights of sand or such like vpon the fillets behind but yet amongst all these they could not finde that way to gaine their content And it is no maruaile for a man must needs reape such fruit of the same nature as the seed is he Theo. 28.g. doth sow for false grounds must needes produce false conclusions yet for all this many are so ouerruled with a selfe conceipt and to preserue their reputation by words will not let to say that they will make any Horse to pace well in a short time when as in proofe of deed they can neuer make any one Horse Theo. 14 a. pace truely in all their life time by any of all these indirect meanes For it it more hard to effect it in working then to make brags thereof in talking Wherefore to show how farre they haue erred from the right path that doth leade to this Vineyard I will show how far the a Of the abuse of Tramels goodnesse of euery one of them doth extend and what inconueniences they produce And first for the Tramells although Maister Markeham affirmeth that they are onely the best way to bring a horse to his pace for as there is but one truth although many inuentions so hee affirmeth them to be it yet I Theo. 10.d. digresse from him in this point albeit in many other I cheiflie applaud him hauing found by practise most of his grounds are very probable but yet not being desirous to be led by authority too much I haue found that the true vse of the hand is to be preferred farre before the true vse of them in that a man may bring a Horse to a more stately pace by it then by them for if they be neuer so truely vsed yet they cannot make perfection without the hand which the hand in its true vse will doe without them And yet thus farre I graunt they may doe well that if a Horse be of a temperate disposition hee may be brought to an indifferent pace by them if they be set at the b What Horses are the best to Tramell iust length of the stroke of his body and put rightly on his legs but yet there will be a great defect in the carriage of his particular parts if they be not reformed by the hand and also if they be any way
obedience then any 1 Pr. 30.f. of the former because they force the body onely and the wind is kept fresh to work according to the appetite when the body is set free from those bonds wherein it was tyed and which did Theo. 34. a. so trouble him that he could take no delight whereby his appetite commanding his winde and his winde his body so soone as he feeleth himselfe at liberty his body will follow the inclination of his desire For as the whole man is composed of soule and body and all his voluntary actions are according to the heart whether good or euill whereby what wickednesse soeuer the body doth Theo. 30.c. it doth first proceed from the heart Euen so the whole horse consisteth of his sensitiue soule and body and all his voluntary A Simile actions proceed from his appetite or desire and thereby what restiffe quality soeuer any horse showeth it first commeth from Theo. 35. a. them and therefore whatsoeuer the body doth except the the whole Horse agree in one it is but counterfeite or a shadow But the deepe earths if they worke much mischiefe it is in Theo. 28.d. 1. Pra. 28. d. their abuse for they are good in diuers respects for by them the whole horse may bee brought to agree in one for if he be so stubborne that hee will not yeeld his winde to moue with a 1. Pra. 23.f. his body the present putting him vpon them will cause him to slake his winde and then the present liberty againe of the 28.f. hand and changing him from them will make him feele such ease in his going that hee will worke more easily and delightfully And further besides the ioyning of the inward and outward b For what errors deepe earths are good parts in action they are good to reforme many disorders in the carriage of his body and the staying of his head and handling of his legges if they bee vsed no further then the correctiue part otherwise they may bee abused as drinke is good in its vse but if it be abused it causeth drunkennesse For if your Horse bee so tickle mouthed that you cannot make him stand to your hand by any meanes vpon the euen ground and so become lash-bodied that he either beat himselfe afore or shake his buttocks the deepe earths will establish them both by vsing him thereon till hee finde that sleight to let his winde go with the time of his bodyes motion or if hee strike short in his pace and chafe himselfe they will bring him to step more largely and ride coolely if hee be vsed vpon them Theo. 28. d. as afore or if he lift his fore-feet too hye by his eager desire or carry them so low that hee is subiect to stumble by his slow and vnwilling desire the deepe earths will reforme both these although they seeme contraries but yet they are not so for they are in diuersity and so the diuers vse of the hand according to the willingnesse or vnwillingnesse of the windes passage will amend them for if hee lift too hie then vse the c 1 Pra. 28.b. Head-straine more but if too low then the trench as I haue showne afore for a trotter Thus the deepe earths although they are hurtfull by too much toyling you see are manifold in their vse and are better to helpe him that hath not facility in his hand and seate then heauy shoes because they may be taken or left at pleasure for they bring the inward parts to subiection and help to bring a Horse to a very gracefull pace if the hand be truely tempered and the body haue apt motiues answerable as hereafter I will show And thus much in briefe for the generall vse of them but for further particular application I omit because the benefit may be better vnderstood by practice then demonstration Theo. 28 e and in that I haue spoken thereof afore which must be applied according to the disposition of the Horse by the discretion of the man for you must consider that they being still one and the same they worke but one and the same thing of themselues but the variety must proceed from application CHAP. 33. Of the abuse of the hand ANd in like manner as the grounds are good in their vse and bad in abuse euen so also is the hand whereby it is Theo. 28. â— held very comtemptible with the most and so is made a stale to bring in other sinister helpes which they invented because they could neuer finde the vse thereof and so it is almost Theo. 3â— held to be without vse like Esops Cocke which preferred a Barly-corne before a pretious Stone preferring his appetite before a It neede no moralizing the application is plaine the esteeme of such a rich Iewell But as the sweetest Rose is soonest subiect to Canker and the Moth doth soonest breed within the finest Cloth euen so abuse is soonest wrought by this for that it is nearest the truth which ignorance doth most pollute and through that abuse doth spiring a world of mischiefes Theo. 3.n. as displacing his head deading and gauling of the mouth loose body treading short and trifling and many other But againe in its right vse if all the other inuentions should ioyne in one they were not able to abide the censure when they shall be tried by the effect in making a true going Horse For although Theo. 4. there may be many inuentions and diuerse sorts of Horses going yet there is but one truth and one kind of well going and that I dare affirme hauing found it by practise is onely the hand for by it a Horse may be refined to goe so easily and comly that the finest Lady may make his backe her Cradle to Lull her tender selfe a sleepe Now whereas the hand may be abused diuers and sundry waies yet it is chiefly from these foure causes First in that hee b Foure things were in the hand are chiefly abused is put to his Pace before hee know how to goe forward by the motions of the body or to stoppe by the helpe of the hand and this is a generall euill almost in all sorts of Horses in that they 1. Pr. 23. a. are suffered to goe after their owne will but not according to 1 order for I my selfe hauing many horses comming to my hands cannot finde one amongst a hundred of what age soeuer that is taught to stoppe and goe orderly forward as he should for as spelling is the true ground of reading so are these two stopping and going orderly the true ground of all riding Secondly it 2 is abused in the true placing of the Horses body for when hee is put to his pace before hee can tell how to carry it aptly for the same hee cannot be brought to it but by great violence for they fall straight to such improper motions that all the extremities Theo. 14.e.
true grounds of hand and foote aforesaid For I haue had hardly one horse in a yeare though hee were void of any good gouernment but I could make him strike within that time to which so soone as you feele any inclination alight from his backe and haue him home for that will make him goe the more cheerefully the next time Note that when hee beginneth to set close you make not aboue two or three turnes at a time least you take too much of Note him before hee finde ease in his going and thereby hee get a haunt to fall from his pace through dislike whereby you shall Theo. 9. â— bee driuen to striue too much with him neither shall you suffer him to leaue his pace voluntary for his ease howsoeuer it hath beene vsed heeretofore in that it should bee kept constant to make his body firmer for if he bee suffered to trot for ease it That is bad ease which bringeth greater paines will increase the greater paines and thereby get such an vse thereof that you shall haue more to doe to make him hold his pace when he should then to bring another horse thereto Note that if hee proue sad vpon your motions that you quicken him vp with your voyce or if that preuaile not then correct him with the rodde vpon the farre buttocke or shoulder Theo. 25. â— for there and those are all the kindes of corrections you shall vse till hee can tell how to behaue himselfe vpon his pace Note that if in your fauouring him at the first for his well This is worthy of noting doing hee proue negligent and idle and so fall from his pace that then you doe not hold him to it by force but thrusting him vp to goe faster by quickening of your motions for that will make him hold it more willingly in that it will confirme the carriage of his body if you presse him not too farre at once For Art of it selfe dependeth vpon voluntary actions till hee be cunning in the handling of his legges and will yeeld to your seruing him with your seat but euer as hee increaseth in cunning so you may increase his labour leaning him alwayes in his wel-doing Note that when hee is come to such perfection that you may trauell him forwards that then you begin to leaue your apparant Theo. 15.i. motions and carry your selfe more firme in your seat and vse onely a couert motion of your legges and a sweet relish of your hand sometimes vpon the head-straine and sometimes vpon the trench to bring him to the vse thereof as your discretion shall direct you which will be done in three weeks at the most if the error be not in your selfe When hee is brought to such cunning that he will obey your Theo. 32. 33. motions and if he doth not carry himselfe as hee should nor keepe his pace willingly then the cause thereof is in that his winde doth not agree with his body in equall motions for reformation whereof if the Switch preuaile not then you may giue him two or three sound strokes with both your Being applyed to the quality of the offence spuâ—res seruing him still with your helpes letting him haue liberty of his head to goe forward so soone as you feele him consent thereto which in twice or thrice vsing will make him frame himselfe orderly vpon the least motion you can vse Note that if hee keep not the like time of motion with both his sides but that he make a false time with his farre side for Note a generall rule that as the side that euery horse will desire to mistime and therby get a halting stroke which of many is called the hitchcocke being indeed the fault of the man that then you holde your hands a little harder and thrust him forward more violently Of a false stroke or hitchcocke with your legges which will cause him moue his sides equally to which if hee will not yeeld his hinder legge but keepe it still backe to resist then let him feele your spurres sharply and hold hard vpon your head-straine for that will make him stretch his far fore-foot and then his far hinde foot must needs follow keeping time in its motion but if this preuaile not at twice or thrise offring doe not persecute him too much therewith Violence of the hand is to be avoyded for so you shall be driuen to vse violence with your hand which your cheifest care must be to auoyde but you shall put him forth to his full pace almost to his gallop euer working 1. Pra. 24.e. your hands to and fro to keepe his body within the limits of your motions for if the former corrections will not preuayle through his stubbornnesse to cause his farre side to come to the like time of the largenesse of the stroke with the nar-side k Idlenesse is the cause of all errors yet this will so quicken him vp that hee shall haue no leasure to keepe false and idle time for it will force his winde whereby either his farre side will be brought to keepe time with the narre or else of the contrary either of which so soone as hee doth suffer him to goe more easily to conceiue your mind and then by seruing him with your seate you may bring them in the true distance of time Note that this false stroke is a mischeife the hardest to reforme of any error that shall oppose and therefore in all your The false stroke hardest to be reformed proceedings from the beginning to the end you must obserue that he take vp his far-fore-leg which is the leading leg and Theo. 30. c. set it forward with the like time distance to his neare-leg for that will make him haue the fairer forefoote which you must helpe onely with quicke motions and a gentle touch vpon the trench letting him play easily forward vpon the head-straine Note that if hee desire to goe faster then you would haue Theo. 27. c. him so soone as you feele him presse forward let him goe for the space of foure or fiue score and then stoppe him and withall hold your feete out straight in your stirrops to keepe his hinder Theo. 23. c. parts round and so hold him seruing him with the motion of your body till you feele him come in to your hand and then let him go forward gently which in few times â—sing will bring him to find the sleight how to let his wind and body goe together Note that the Spurre is the cheifest correction to conclude Theo. 11. â— 26.b. and shut vp all other corrections and that no Horse can be brought to his high perfection and grace without the true vse thereof for as too little will neuer bring him to such excellency as Art can effect for although hee may be said to goe well yet there is an aliquâ—t part reciding which would giue him a further grace in
like manner if you torture him too much Theo. 20.d. therewith it will bring him to such distemperature that hee will refringe the limits of your command and so breake out into grosse absurdities wherefore you must vse a proportionable meane therein according to his inclination When your Colt is thus freed from all abuses and that hee Theo. 4. will take his Pace fast or softly in good order without rocking or shaking then to bring him to know how to behaue himselfe as occasion shall be offred you shall vse him vpon deepe and vneuen grounds letting him haue time to reforme himselfe and force him not on too fast nor toyle him too long thereon but let him goe at his pleasure your selfe doing nothing to him but keepe him in his true time by help of your motions sometimes changing him from deepe to light earths and againe from light to deepe which will bring him in the whole Colt to such agilitie courage and nimblenesse as hee will seeme to flye vpon the earth through his alacrity and thus by vsing him after this manner in sixe or eight weekes you shall bring your Colt to such an excellent and comely Pace as if Art and Nature had conioyned to extirpe and deuoure the errors of old Adams transgression CHAP. 36. How to bring an imperfect mouthed Horse to his Pace BEcause it is holden an impossible thing to reduce a horse to his Pace which is spoyled afore by disorder or those either which are come to many yeares before they be brought to it The man is the onely obstacle herein therefore it may be there will be expected great secrets to be reuealed for the performance thereof But the causes being considered in the one and an orderly proceeding obserued in 1. Pra. 13. â— the other there is no such ambiguity therein but if the truth be rightly vnderstood as I haue said the cheife cause of these and of all other Vices doe consist in the want of true knowledge how to bring his desire or affection to obedience and his outward gesture to agree therwith for the want of which concord hee doth first resist with his winde and that giueth strength to Theo. 34. a. his outward parts whereby he maketh improper motions of the body which bringeth a dead and rebellious mouth Wherefore whensoeuer your haue a Horse that hath a broken Pace assure your selfe that if you obserue these causes you a Of a broken paced Horse shall bring him to his perfect Pace by reforming of them to an vnity without any other sinister or indirect meanes which to performe you shall vse but onely the head-straine as afore in 1. Pr. 30. 31. 32. 33. stead of any of them for the vse of it with the trench will worke a better effect then them all for a Horses mouings are either orderly or disorderly fast or slow dead mouthed or tickle mouthed Pr. 20. c. so these two to wit the headstrain trench will bring any of thefe extreames to the mean in their right application For looke what is said for the ordering of a young Colt vse but the same order to him for the reformation of his disorderly Pr. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. motions and then when hee is brought to true obedience in that sort you may command him with the helpes of you body to giue him his Pace truely and largely as you shall wish Onely Pr. 35. a. this obserue that whereas I wish to bring a young Colt to a perfect vnderstanding of all your helpes and corrections before you goe about his Pace that in this you may abbreuiate a great time that would be spent therein in that hee hath beene vsed afore to Trauayle whereby hee can tell how to take his way though not as he should For if you should goe about to refine his mouth and to confirme his body neuer so precisely before yet when you shall goe about to hold him to that Pace wherein he had his former qualities that motion would put him in mind againe of such errors as he had gotten a habit of afore Custome bringeth a habit as well in euill as good in that manner of going and will be hard to reforme in a strict carriage without increasing of them or worse as I haue found by experience to no small trouble and toyle in that hee can tell how to frame his body to resist Wherefore for the surest and speediest expedition you shall worke to reforme those faults vpon that broken Pace he hath The cause of a horse not pacing truely is in the abuse of his head and body and not in his legges and as he is purged of them so hee will better and better mend his Pace for those disorders are the cause that hee cannot tell how to handle his feet as he should for his Pace In which looke what order I set forth for the bringing of a slouingly Colt to a strict and true Trot in like manner vse him for reformation of his Pace keeping his body in continuall action to cause him Pra. 27.c. that he shall not haue time to hold his winde to worke his froward Cap. 1 For to force him vpon the hand will make him striue the more will but if he will not fall to your hand gently thrust him forward to a good round Pace almost to his galloppe without much regard of the truenesse of his stroke foure or fiue times vp and downe your roade and that will make him fall to your hand which so soone as you feele let him ease himselfe and then you shall feele his hinder parts yeeld to the motions of your owne body And likewise if hee be an old Horse and yet hath neither Of an old horse good carriage nor any steppe to his Pace you shall vse him in all respects as the former but onely in that he cannot tell how to behaue him-selfe any thing for his Pace you must helpe him into his stroke by the gentlest meanes you can by the helpes and motions of your seate as in the young Colt and if he be 1. Pra. 35.b. ibid. k a heauy headed Horse so that you cannot command his head to cause him bring in his hinder parts thrust him vp as afore to quicken his motions vpon which if he desire to goe faster then he should correct him with the trench twice or thrice together and then giue your hand liberty for as in the former so you must obserue in this not to worke for his grace in carriage till That cannot be taken away which one neuer had he can tell how to goe vpon his Pace for you cannot spoile his reine because he neuer had it But if he be a free and hot horse so that hee will not rest vpon the hand then you shall fauour the trench and let him rest more vpon the head-straine for that will make him presse more orderlie vpon the hand forward Now for
close and darke the reflection of the Sun in Summer annoy him and so hinder digestion Moreouer it would be made close and darke that when hee commeth from his labour and hath fild his belly he may take his rest as well on the day as the night and therefore it would bee remote a good distance from the noyse of other horses which would disquiet him Furthermore it would haue a window towards the West if it bee possible to set open to giue light whilst he is in dressing Of Planking it 1. Pra. 12.c. and to let in Ayre at your pleasure and specially to set open to coole and sweeten the stable whilst he is forth in ayreing And for the planchers although some haue wished to haue the standings paued I cannot approue therof some reasons afore I haue showne and more I could show if it were needfull but I hold it the best to haue them laid with good Oaken planckes two or three inches thicke with holes bored through them in diuers places to cause the wash draine through them into the channell which will keep the litter more sweet and dry whereby it wil be the more wholsome for his body and also they will be more warme and easie to lye vpon if at any time he chance to spurne his litter from vnder him by tumbling or waltring him as many not of the worst horses oftentimes doe Besides as Mr. Markham saith they would bee laid leuell The Planchers would be leuel not higher before then behind that he may stand of an equall height with all his feete for if he rest too much vpon his hinder legges it will cause them to swell neither can he lye at ease because his hinder parts will bee slipping downe And likewise the ground behind would be leuell with the Planckes that if at any time hee chance to goe back he may stand still of an equall height with all his body And let the cribbe be set of a reasonable The height of the Cribbe height that the bottome be not so high as the poynts of his shoulder that if at any time he be stirred in the stable he bee not in danger of laming by rushing against it and it would bee deepe because that then hee cannot so easily set his feete therein if hee chance to rise afore and further that hee may feed with holding of his head at a reasonable height for that will helpe to strengthen his crest and it would be made strong and the boards closely ioyned in the bottome that there bee no lime nor morter therein to close vp the crannies for that is very hurtfull and suffocating for the horse And let the Rack in like manner be of an indifferent height The height of the Racke neither too high for causing him bend too much in the hinder part of his necke to feed at it and so cause him to bee withy-cragged nor yet so low as to cause him bend his necke on the one side and so spoyle and weaken his crest Likewise it would not bee set sloping but stand vpright with the wall for that is the best both to keepe his necke firme and also to keep his head and mane cleane from dust and seedes of the hay and let the holes for the staues bee pitched some foure inches distance The distance of the Rackestaues that when the staues are set in they may be three inches distant one from another which is a reasonable scantling for they will not bee so strait but that hee may fill his belly with ease nor yet so wide as to pull the hay out too fast and so make spoyle thereof And also the walles on both sides and Let the walles bee boarded afore his head would bee boarded from the cribbe to the racke to keepe him from gnawing vpon lime earth or any such filthy thing which many Horses will desire for that will lye heauy in his maw and be very vnwholesome Moreouer there would be a loft made ouer him to lay the The loft would not be ioyned for shrinking haye and straw therein and the boards would not beioyned but rapited one ouer another that no dust nor filth fall vpon the Horse if they chance to shrinke whilst his haye is in dusting and shaking aboue And let the partition be large that he may haue liberty to tumble at his pleasure and let there be a conuenient roome in the stable that his keeper may lye by him for The keeper should lie neare his Horse thereby he shall be ready at hand if any occasion shall happen especially if it be towards a match and he may also haue the better iudgement of his horses disposition by the manner of his feeding And lastly there would be a presse made to keep the bridles saddles and other necessaries safe cleane handsome and ready when soeuer they shall be vsed Thus haue I set forth the fashion and order of a conuenient and necessary stable discribing it in a playne forme without any curiosity to which whosoeuer is addicted and disliketh this Nothing acceptable except it be costly for the plainnesse there are Italionate fashions set forth to satisfie their selfe-liking humors but yet this is sufficient to giue content to stayed minds if it be kept sweet and cleane CHAP. 4. Of the Trayning a young Colt vp to Hunting and Coursing IT hath been and is still an vsuall opinion of those who haue a young Colt and would haue him trayned vp either to hunting The abuse by custome or coursing that so soone as he is made gentle to backe for to trayne him thereto altogether by lenity and gentlenesse Theo. 9.h. suffering him to goe in his rake and gallop as he shall thinke good of himselfe neuer vsing him to farther command then he will willingly performe least he should be too much forced at the first whereby his courage and strength might be abated The euent tryeth the truth and lamenesse by straynings might be caused before his ioynts be fully knit as if he had still continued in the first state of his originall nature to performe and shew forth all his naturall powers freely and of his owne accord But what euent commeth thereby the number of good Horses in performance in comparison to the quantity or multitude of iades will testifie and the sequell of the causes will make manifest For the efficient cause of making a good or bad horse is not Theo. 19. â— so much in his nature as it is imagined but in the Man although his procliuity be a great helpe for he is the materiall Horse the Materiall cause cause and your helps corrections and motions are the instrumentall and the apt and willing performance of his actions is the formall cause showing the euent of the true or false grounds of Art for as the ends of all Arts and Sciences doe tend to the most excellent effect and best vse so the causes hereof doe worke to
what a true Gallop is and wherein also the chiefest aduantage both for ease and continuance consisteth For want of which knowledge many haue simply gone about Tradition is meere blindnesse that which they knew not what to effect for in that they haue seene some desire to bring their horse to a soft hand gallop not expecting any more they presently haue vndertaken to effect the like thinking that if they can bring him to gallop softly or Blind opinions goe two vp and two downe that he is brought to the highest degree that can possibly be performed by Art Which conceipt if it were true then euery Butchers Nagge Absurdities confuted that will gallop betwixt London and Rumford would parallel the best for speed which thing experience doth confute for although they may bee tough by labour yet there is none of them that hath any indifferent speed to a meane Courser For that manner of gallop will cause him haue such a tickle mouth vpon the hand that when you come to worke vpon him to help him in his running hee cannot tell how to frame his body to rest vpon the hand orderly but will launch forth past his compasse and so spend himselfe by violence that it will bee hard for you to keep a true seate in his running And if it bee in hunting Theo 4. Chap. he cannot make speed especially vpon deep earths to continue for that there is as it were a stoppe of his hinder parts Time a true iudge whilst hee raise his fore and likewise of his fore-parts whilst he raise his hinde in which motion there is a great losse of time which is the true moderator in all doubts For as a Ship which A Simile is forced to rise and fall with the violence of the billowes cannot make so great a course in so short a time as when she saileth vpon the still seas so that horse cannot goe so speedily nor easily that waueth vp and downe in his gallop as hee that goeth vpon a smooth motion But the best gallop for ease truth and speed is to haue his What a true Gallop is body firmely knit and all the parts to moue ioyntly together forward in his motion to goe smoothly resting pleasingly vpon the hand and though that the fore and hinder parts rise and fall a little when hee gallopeth softly yet they must be so knit An imaginary line passing through his body and chine is the meane motions that the faster hee goeth the lesse they rise and fall and when hee is at his full speed to haue his body in the meane motion to describe a parallel line with the ground not letting any two of his feet to rise or fall together but as his body is alwayes mouing forward so his legges must be alwaies one setting afore another whereby his body will glide forward with great facility both for himselfe and his Rider and he will rest so pleasingly Note vpon the hand that his head will be a meanes and helpe to keepe your body firme and likewise your hand a meanes to keepe his body steddy and to helpe it by your body if at any time hee shall desire to ouerlash himselfe through eagernesse Theo. 18. a. whereby you shall both agree together as if you were but one subiect And for the aduantage of his speed it is not in the fast vsing Aduantage of his motion for speed of his legges although it may seeme so to the eye but in the true rellish of his mouth and the apt carriage of his body for if they two be truely commanded then his legges vpon necessity must needs performe their office for his hinder parts will gather so roundly within his fore parts that they wil stretch themselues so farre forward as Art and Nature can extend The effecting The comming on with the hinder parts causeth on the fore parts whereof I haue quoted in the last Chapter and may also be reduced to this by fit application they being the true grounds of the whole Art onely in generall obserue to keepe a true seat to helpe the Horses hinder parts if at any time they shall slake and apply your helps and corrections according to Theo. 12.x. the instant occasion 13 CHAP. 7. What Pace is best for these sort of Horses IN my iudgment there hath beene also another great neglect An abuse through custome in this Art in that there hath beene no greater care had to giue a Colt that Pace at the first which might bring him to his highest perfection both for speed and toughnesse but suffer him to goe after his owne irrationall appetite so long that he will not be brought to any such carriage of his integralls as might bring him to such excellency as those ends would wish â— Pra. 4. In which my assertion although I may seeme to discent from others and so some may belch the malice of their preiudicate opinions against me for following my owne fantasie and reiecting the generall iudgement of so many antient and wise practitioners Trueth is found by experience not by authority in this Art yet I dare be bould to set it forth hauing the truth to backe me as a sure fortresse and experience to direct me as a most liuely and perfect teacher But to the point there are some which erre herein for that they make no account of any Pace but so soone as their Colt is once backt he is straight put to his rake and from thence to 2. Pr. 4. his gallop without respect of any other conditions as if there were immediate notices or vnderstanding of things naturally ingraffed in a Horse to know the mind of his Rider without knowledge of some mediate or second meanes And againe there are others that are stayned with the same Whether a naturall Trotter or Pacer be best for speed pollution although not so grosly which thinke that a Horse hauing a naturall good Trot or Pace is the most speedy and tough to both which obiections because I haue touched them in the two last Chapters and in other places I will not stand to make any large discourse but onely to let the gentle Reader see light to finde the truth like a candle in a lanterne For this Theo. 2. 3. I hold that no horse of himselfe wil performe whatsoeuer to the highest of his nature except Art be thereto adioyned which I proue thus No Horse that hath not an apt motion and carriage in the Celarent whole integrum by Art can of his owne inclination haue the best speed and toughnesse But naturall going Horses cannot haue any apt motion and carriage without Art in the whole integrum Therefore no naturall going Horse of his owne inclination without Art can haue the best speed and durablenesse The Maior is proued by the whole tractat of this Booke for The Maior proued that all Horses hauing an inherent rebellious
to Art Obiection And whereas it may bee obiected that the bringing a horse to his pace doth vtterly spoyle all his other paces and abateth Answer Theo. 3. Cap. his speed I answer the cause of that abuse is not in the Art but in the abuse of vsurped Professors for there is no such repugnancy in it that it should decay nature but repaire it for it in the true vse bettereth all for he will goe so smoothly with his fore-parts and follow so roundly after with his hinder parts that he will glide forward with such facility and aduantage Thâ— motions of the man motions of the man moneth the appetite and it the body as his height and length can maintaine in that his appetite or desire still worketh forward which vrgeth on the body and the leading legge maketh way so orderly that hee will shoot forward fast or softly as the motions of the man doth direct him But if hee bee brought to this pace by distemperature of the hand then hee will runne hye both with his head and fore-parts The abuse of the hand causeth high running and so indeed although hee may bee speedy for a time yet hee cannot bee durable nor gallop with ease vpon deepe earths and so spoyle his speed because he cannot see his way to vse his feet rightly and through his eager desire in going Theo. 20. Pr. 2. li. 6. Chap. hee will presse so hard vpon the hand that hee spendeth his strength and wind as well by striuing therevpon as hee doth with the violence of his running wherby his speed and toughnesse is so soone abated not finding any ease and by that The cause of bending the Thropell is not iin nature but in the man meanes hee striueth with his fore-parts and beateth himselfe with lifting his fore-legges so high that hee looseth time in his gallop and is forced to bend his necke so farre backe that he choaketh himselfe with his owne winde in that his thropâ—e Pr. 1. li. 25. 34. Chap. doth bend compasse like a bow and then to excuse this absurdity also the fault is in the defect of nature and say that hee is Cock-threpeld therfore cannot haue wind to performe that which is desired as if Nature did not vse an orderly number in her composition especially in euery perfect subiect A pace is necessary for the hunter Now a true pace is not onely a meanes to increase speed and toughnesse for the Courser but also it is very necessary for the Hunter because thereby he will got at ease â—nto the field both for himselfe and his maister And when hee hath done his dayes worke and is wearied with toyle hee will come homeward so easily vpon his pace that hee will coole himselfe very temperately before hee come home and also his master and hee will bee much refreshed by the same that they will neither of them be so stiffe when they are cold as they would bee if they should coole sodainely by comming foot-pace or else A naturall Courser may bee made very seruiceable both for hunting and running take their rest sodainly after heat And therefore a naturall pacer is not altogether to bee reiected neither for a Hunter nor Courser if he be truly brought to obedience and haue an apt carriage in his motions both of head and body For I haue brought a naturall pacer which hath beene a deepe and hard rouler so that hee could not tell how to gallop or goe any pace after the rate of twelue miles an houre and also so extreame sadde that one might as well haue stricken his spurres into a post as into his sides for any motion Pr. 1. li. 36. Chap. and I haue reduced him to such an obedient quicknesse that hee would answere the Spurre as freely at the latter end of the day as could bee wished And also to such speed that no ordinary horse could bid him ride onely by reforming his naturall going to that carriage and motion as if he had beene an artificiall pacer CHAP. 8. Of what Age a Colt should bee before hee bee put to sore labour THere is yet another vaile which custome hath spred before the exterior senses so as the soule is hindred from iudging the truth including vncertainties within the limits of No true iudgement vpon false euidence a certaine time For it is generally holden that there is not any horse that should be put to any sore labour or be straind to the height of his speed before hee be sixe or seauen yeares of age which is a tradition holden from the opinion of the Ancients following the naturall ability of the horse so farre that they One error bringeth forth another strayed beyond the bounds of their knowledge in this Art and then to excuse themselues affirme that no horse can bee able to performe any matter of speed or toughnesse till hee come to those yeares Which opinion is not much vnlike the iudgement of many An apt Simile Farriers that when they vndertake to cure a straine administer such things as they conceipt and then finding small effect counselleth that he should runne a certaine time during which running time cureth that which their knowledge could not performe Euen so when they haue found that they could not effect their desire by their grounds of Art before such a time they suggested this supposition whilst in the interim Theo. 17. Chap. time worketh more vpon the horse then their Art And further they suggest to preserue their reputation that if hee should be put to sore labour and toyle before he come to those yeares it would bee a meanes to hazard strainings and the putting out of splints spauens cuâ—bes and such like for that his ioynts are not firmely knit nor hee come to his best strength and courage To which opinions I aske whether they haue not seene A horned question some one horse of younger yeares beat the aforesaid horses which haue beene dandled withall till that age Which if they haue why might not they also haue performed the like if they had beene trained by the true Art But if they haue not then they are to bee condemned of a preiudicated opinion to hold A younger horse beat the elder that which they haue no reason nor experience for for I know there is not any that hath made experiment heerein but they haue seene the contrary or else their obseruations haue beene very weake But I heare some obiect that all horses are not of like constitution Obiection and some haue abler bodies then others and so come sooner to the maturity of their goodnesse but yet no consequence that others should doe the like I answer first this maketh Answer a contradiction with the former allegation for they hold it as a generall custome and then if there be any that is of such procliuity they are exempted from that generality and then those horses if
there be an intermission in their proceedings that they bee not followed according to their inclination it will cause a losse of time if they should bee neglected till the accustomed time whereby their towardnesse will bee hindred through a soueraigne liberty they not being suffered to goe forward There is no stay in the agitation of the interior powers but are still kept in a stay get such an idle habit that they decline from their towardnesse to a wilfull stubbornnesse through this restraint in that they are thought too young for seeing they are letted in going forward they must needs goe backe for it is a Maxime that not to goe forward is to decline d The senses iudge according to the kind of action so that they will hardly be brought after to their best perfection in as much as their apprehension is intelligence sensitiue they feeling ease so long together thinke that to be the perfection of their labour and when they shall be put to more then they were vsed vnto they will presently giue it ouer in the plaine Idle trayning causeth falâ—e hearted horses field not being vsed to sore labour before which is the cause of so many trayterous and false hearted Horses And further it is a great darkning of their glory for if they which are so prone by nature were well followed by true Art without question they would sooner come to commendable performance then they which haue not such naturall towardnesse An Allegory and then when Art and Nature had displayed the glory of their lights the splendor thereof would be so glorious that all other would be combust that came within the reflect of their beames and in that respect would farre exceed the other both for time and goodnesse But contrariwise if those which haue not such gifts of nature be not protracted but reduced without intermission by Art Theo. 2. they may come to better these which are neclcted at the first for it is often seene the most vnlikely Horse to beate the more likely but if not yet they may be brought to that height in as short time as the ability of their bodies can maintaine hauing a willingnesse to doe that they are able both for speed and toughnesse And againe I would know whether there hath not beene Whether sore labour be the onely cause of those infirmities many Horses which were neuer strayned young by sore riding which haue beene subiect to splints spauens curbes and such like which if they haue then that is not the cause of such infirmities as there are many but the cause of them naturally is through the impurity of the seed whereof they were generated and therefore being so subiect to them their griefe will increase by labour of what age soeuer And likewise the same demand may bee whether that straynings are onely Whether yong horses are onely subiect to straines proper to young Horses or no which if not denayed as experience maketh plaine then the cause thereof is not onely in sore labour but rather through the improper cariage of their body and the vnapt gouernment of the head so that they cannot Theo. 35. 36. handle their legges nimbly Wherefore these opinions are but inordinate affections Note that many carry to their horses in suffering them so long at the first both in their first backing and afterward in their trayning The Earle of Northumberlands Horseman that some haue lost their liues which I speake to my hearts griefe being them whom I heartily affected rather then they would seek to displease their colt to gaine obedience And others haue hazarded their whole estate to the great losse both of them-selues and their friends rather then they No good conclusion can follow vpon false grounds would put their Horse to any thing more then hee would doe of him-selfe following vncertaine grounds of time and the Horses nature so long that they haue had issue of their certaine estate being conuicted by a certaine euidence which certaine time and truth did giue sentence In the which ranke Faelix quem faciunt aliena pâ—ricula cautum I my selfe haue formerly marched till experience did sound a retreate being maymed with the shot of foolish had-I-wist which I will set downe as a caueate for future impes that shall flourish in this Vineyard least they fall in the like relapse and likewise buy their experience too deare Which though it be rude I hope it will not be distastfull to such as are willing to be Young riding not the cause of slownesse or lamenesse instructed in that they make profit by mine many moe losses For in running a Bell match I was neuer more shamefully beat in my life both for speede and toughnesse then I was with a foure yeares old nagge which was hunted very sore all that Winter and yet was sound in euery part of the whole One of maister Launcelot Carletons race Horse which was the first instance I had to awake me from the slumber of this Sirennicall opinion And afterward it was my happe to runne a match against a fiue yeare old nagge of a midle sise being almost but now backt which had such an exceeding naturall speed that if Art had beene ioyned answerably to his inclination he could hardly haue beene paralleld betwixt the North and South of which Horse I did afterward note his proceedings being much conuersant with the Gentleman that did owe him and so I found by the euent that his naturall procliuity was much hindered by his trayning For there were three other young Colts trayned vp with him which at the first not any of them was able to command him to ride he being so very swift by the which they were continually True trayning causeth good wind held to the height of their winde and speed whilest hee ranne euery breathing course within himselfe by reason of of which sore labour although they were but Colts they be came so well winded that in one Winter they all would beate him in that he ranne alwaies within himselfe so that hee lost the aduantage of his body whereby his speed was abated and he became so thicke winded that when he felt it once nip he would giue it ouer and when he was put to the spurre the more he was spurred the more he setled and yet at the first he would haue answered the spurre very obediently through which liberty he became so idle that he would not stretch forth his body but lost three or foure foot at euery stroke Feeding doth not make a good Horse except Art be assisting Which when I saw I was desirous to examine the cause for my further experience but when I had approued I found it to be in the manner of his trayning for as the prouerbe is he was better fed then taught although the Gentleman was reputed an excellent horseman for he had neither carriage of body nor rellish of mouth fit for
or more to swell for so it will bee the lighter and haue the quicker digestion then work it exceeding wel with a brake or tread it well with your feet being cleane washed and bake it in great houshold loaues as a pecke in a loafe for so it will haue the lesse crust and not dry so soone with which bread you shall feed your horse after it is a day old being well chipt sometimes giuing him Bread sometimes Oates as you see his stomacke best liketh for this feeding increaseth good blood and giueth strength and lust sufficient for any ordinary hunting But if you thinke to hunt him vpon a match then let the one g Of Bread for a match halfe of the corne bee Wheat and the other halfe Beanes and let it not be ground too fine for so there will bee the lesse bran in the bread and dresse the meale through a boulter and knead it with new Ale and Barme beat together but let there bee good store of barme and vse it in all other things as the former Now this bread is more healthfull and yeeldeth as much strength courage and winde as any other whatsoeuer That is the best that agreeth the best with nature if there be true labour adioyned although many vse drugges and diuers other graines to increase winde But whereas many vse to put a proportion of Rye into the 2. Pr. 13.d. e Of Rye Bread I hold it not so good for the former is sufficient for strengrh and nutriment and if the horse haue such plenty of that as nature doth desire his body will continue in perfect state without it yet because a horse is hot of himselfe and his heat may bee aggrauated by his labour so that hee may come to 1. Pr. 7. Chap. be bound in his body Therefore seeing Rye is cold and moyst I wish that you should grind the quantity of a pecke by it selfe and so bake it in a great loafe and vse it as Phisicke giuing him a quantity thereof when you first draw his bridle to coole his body after his heats or otherwise as you perceiue his body f Phisicall things are to bee vsed sparingly costiue Whereas if it should bee ground among the other graines then in what state soeuer your horse were hee must feed thereon and so if he were loose in his body the Rye would increase it Now for the quantity that you should giue your Horse at one Of the quantity of food time there cannot be any certaine limitation thereof but it must bee proportionated according to his appetite onely be sure to giue him his full feeding for that will keepe his body in better temper and in greater strength and lust And then if vpon such store of meat you perceiue he feed too fast do not therfore scant him but giue him the greater labour for that will helpe both his strength and winde And for the manner of feeding let him eat one meale of Of the manner of feeding Beanes and Oates and another of bread for so his stomacke will continue the better for variety will sharpen it whereas if hee should feed long vpon one kind it would cause a loathing and let him eat the oftnest of that hee best liketh or if you please you may giue him both at one meale especially if hee bee of a dainty feeding alwayes giuing him that the last which hee eateth the best and hath the best digestion otherwise 2. Pra. 6. Chap. hee will not feed so well and his stomacke would bee more opprest And againe if he be a small feeder giue him a little at once Of a dainty feeding horse often for fresh meat will draw on his appetite but giue him so that hee may haue a little left in the manger to eat at his owne leasure betwixt the times of his feeding Now for the times of feeding foure times of full feeding in The time of feeding twenty foure houres is sufficient that is after his morning watering then at one or two of the clocke in the after noone or as the dayes are in length to giue time for digestion before he 2. Pr. 6. Chap. be watred at night else if hee bee full fed and put to exercise before it is very dangerous likewise after his euening watring and about nine of the clocke at night And as for that you giue him in the morning when you come first into the stable 2. Pra. 11. Chap. it must bee but a little to preserue his stomacke from cold humors that might oppresse it by drinking fasting and also to make him drinke the better CHAP. 13. Of Scowrings and their vses SCowrings are also another thing wherein this Art is abused and the horses glory much darkened for thereby his body is made an Apothecaries Shop to receiue such vnnaturall drugs as doth weaken it and deject his courage which Art doth chiefly tend to maintaine And also it is a further abuse by those which assume to apply a The cause of the abuse of Scowrings scowrings to a horse that neither know his disposition nor the operation of them no nor yet the cause and time wherefore and when they should be ministred And yet they thinke that if they can but talke of giuing a scowring they should bee esteemed with the best and so indeed many are but their 2. Pra. 9. esteeme is farre aboue their deserts for through such ignorance they make horses that are sound and of an able body by The euent of the abuse nature to bee weake tender and apt to take surfets vpon the least occasion as heereafter shall be showne for they conceit their knowledge so much as they thinke to make him sounder b Thinking is no knowledge 2. Pr. 11. then nature can worke but by such vncertaine grounds they hinder the strength of it Like those men that if they doe but feare a sicknesse presently betake them to Phisicke though Nature had strength enough to preuent it whereby they are Note made the sooner sicke and makes their bodies more subiect to diseases their pores being opened by it But I would not be so vnderstood that though I speake of the abuses of Phisick I vtterly disallow therof for it is a most excellent iudicious Art that iudgeth of the nature operation of simples which receiue their vertues from the heauenly powers so are to be esteemed as Gods instruments whom he hath ordayned for the preseruation of bodily health and the wiseman sayth Honor the Phisitian with that honor that is due vnto him because Eccle. 28. 1. 3. 4. 7. of necessity for the Lord hath created him And the knowledge of the Phisitian lifteth vp his head and in the sight of great men he c Scowrings are good in their true vse shall be in admiration for the Lord hath created Medicines of the eaâ—th and he that is wise will not abhor them For with such doth
in stead of trayning after the dogs The daies of labour for his heates you shall giue him his heates vpon some plaine medow or heath ground that is firme and hard for so you shall bring him to that height of speed that Art and Nature can effect by reason he will stretch his body to the vtmost length without feare or dread of stumbling or ouer reaching when he feeleth such smooth and hard running and he will gather his legges so roundly that hee 2. Pra. 4. Sure footing bringeth sleight will runne with so great aduantage as is possible without any such toyle of body or fainting of courage as would insue if hee were trayned and exercised vpon deepe earths or broken swarthes before he haue a steddy cariage of body or true know ledge how to handle his feet Secondly there would be such intermission betwixt the 2 Twice a weeke is sufficient for to breâ—th daies of his breathing courses as he may haue time to recouer his strength and lust which would not be aboue twice in a weeke for if he should be exercised oftner the often frequency would make it more loathsome to his affections and abate his lust and so take away delight besides it would abate his 2. Pr. 15. strength and weaken his lims for want of knowledge all which ought to be carefully preserued which will be the better done by seldome exercise though it be sometimes the longer and sorer if he haue time to recouer his strength againe before 2. Pra. 14. Vse maketh perfectnesse his next breathing course for it will lesse grieue him and cause a better winde then if he should be oftner exercised and easily in as much as often exercise causeth weakenesse and gentle heates are deceiptfull except you will indent with your aduersary A most rediculous exception that he shall â—unne no faster then your Horse will goe willingly which were most absurd Thirdly haue a care to the ability of your Horse and to his 3 knowledge or nimblenesse and as these increase so increase his labour for if you exceed in them it will cause weakenesse and so lameing by backe-sinew-beating or ouer-reaching Which care being had then trayne him vp continually with other 2. Pra. 8. 11. Horses if it be possible that haue the speed of him whereby he will be vsed to such true labour that a sore course will not Obiection trouble him when he shall be hardly matchep But whereas it d is obiected that sore and long labour will pull a Horse from his speed and decay his strength being strained before he be 2. Pr. 4. at his full perfection to which sith I haue spoken sufficiently afore Answer I meane not to presse much in the solution thereof but onely to set forth their vncertaine iudgement in a Horses speed What a swift running horse is for howsoeuer a horse runneth off the score he cannot be said to be a swift running Horse except he continue it to the last in regard he is said to runne the best that commeth first to the race head and it is not possible that a Horse which is vsed by a violent forcing to set all his powers to worke at the first should be able to continue but is like light thorns on fire that is but a flash and so consumeth himselfe by his feirce and disorderly running wherby that is but a shadow of speed which vanisheth as soone Theo. 4. 20. as that light abateth hee being vsed to runne after such an indirect meanes whereas if that Horse be reduced to a better A whole running horse is the best speed gouernment or an other Horse that hath any naturall speed will not so soone decrease but wil maintaine his whole running without looking for ease by sobbes and so in the end proue the 2. Pr. 19.n. greater speed though he be not so arrant swift at the first as Theo. 32. 33. shall hereafter be proued in regard his wind doth rake so aptly with the body and gather such a stout courage that he will not 2. Pr. 5. 6. daunt for his sore labour but like a hardy Souldier ride in blood to get the conquest and glory of the day Now after he can tell how to frame himselfe to launch forward orderly vpon skelping earth if sometimes you haue him into the field to hunt him after the hounds it will be very profitable To hunt a running horse somtimes is profitable to learne him to ride vpon broken swarth deepe earths and to preserue the senseablenesse of his mouth in that hee must ride at the command of the man as occasion shall bee offered by the dogges yet be carefull that you hunt him not oâ—er long but so soone as you haue ridden three or foure good sents that he hath sweat haue him home and order him as 2. Pra. 11. before Note that if you haue not Horses of such speed to traine him as can command him to ride that then you doe not therefore fauour him in staying for the other for that will increase idlenesse and thicke winde in letting him runne after such an easie rate within himselfe but keepe him at his full rate and euer now and then let another runne at him to hold him to his speed so farre as he can and then after him another for that will cause him to runne with the better courage and increase A generall answere his desire to runne still at the other Horse when he seeth he can command them And take this for a generall answere for any doubtfull assertion that I shall maintaine in this whole Tractate which through the strangnesse may seeme paradoxes Theo. 19. 20. vnto any that howsoeuer they doe not rightly vnderstand mee though in some places my speeches might tend to either excesses yet I presuppose the effect thereof to the meane because violence is the subuersion of Art for as too much lenity bringeth rebellion so too much cruelty faintnesse and dulnesse CHAP. 19. Of Matching a Running Horse and clearing the doubts THus hauing trayned your Horse and approued him to haue such excellency as you dare attempt to match him to run for a wager you must be carefull least you giue your aduersary 2. Pra. 14. any aduantage against you vnlesse you will obstinately loose your money and disgrace your Horse And therefore for making the better and surer match obserue what cautions are set forth in the making of a Hunting match and obserue the same here for I haue there set downe the chiefe things to be obserued for such Horses as are to try their goodnesse by long and sore toyle and apply them to the More aduantage to be accepted against coursers then hunters best aduantage your iudgement can minister but because there are diuers aduantages that there I omitted for that they are not so appertinent to those Horses as to these that are to dispatch
vpon a sudden encounter I will here touch them as summarily as I can whereby you shall the better vnderstand your selfe â—ow to cleare such poynts as would giue aduantage against you and how the doubt of them extend Therefore first obserue to runne such a course as is most agreeing to you Horses disposition for if he be hot and very speedy The horses disposition must be thus grounded in all matchs then the lightest leauellest and hardest earths are the best but if not so purely composed so that he is more slow and crauing then make your match to runne such a course wherein are deepe letches and broken swarthes that his truth and toughnesse may recouer what speede looseth But here it is obiected that an euen-leuell course is not so Obiection good for a hot Horse because that he will spend himselfe outragiously and so runne himselfe out of winde I answere that it is doubtfull to aduenture much vpon a horse Answer that is of such a bedlam disposition as will not be gouerned but after his owne appetite for then whether it be leuell or descent he will runne so long as he is able and then if hee be held any thing hard to it hee will yeeld vpon what ground soeuer but if hee runne within himselfe so as hee is able to command the other This is a great helpe at any time then it may be thought that the descent of a hill will giue him the more breath but as I say if the other hold him to such a rate that hee shall not bee suffered to slake his speed then he shall finde small reliefe thereby for as it is a helpe to him so it is to the other and then if he haue not time to ease himselfe when he climbeth vp the hill his former ease will yeeld him no reliefe at all if the aduerse horse bee true And therefore that is but a thought indeed hauing no good ground Meere suppositions are meere simplenesse for the true tryall of this is when there are some equality of speeds to be compared For although one may cast a boule further downe a hill then he can on a leuell ground yet hee shall A Simile loose a greater aduantage when he commeth to cast it as farre vp the hill for then he must vse his strength the oftner to cast it home and yet the man hath more aduantage in casting the boule vp the hill then the horse hath in running for the motion doth consist in the bowle though the force come from the man but both the horses motion and his strength proceedeth from himselfe Wherefore he that desireth to runne such a horse vpon vpwiths and in-withs for the better aduantage seeketh helps by greater paine by which it is plaine that what horse will spend Note himselfe disorderly vpon leuell and easie grounds wil doe more vpon vnleuell and strong earths howsoeuer it may be alleadged to the contrary And therefore if at any time you bee to runne against such A bedlam horse hath small help by descending grounds a horse knowing your owne to bee true and of good speed doe not repine to runne such a course with him for if that bee all his refuge and hope his stay is no stronger then a reed that will breake with the winde and his hope but Bastard-like that will neuer recouer inheritance by reason there is no descent but there is a climbing either before or after where he will so choake himselfe with his violent and disgouerned running that it will spend him twice as much as the descent shall helpe him And now for waights though a small difference bringeth a 2 Pra. 14. The aduantage of waights matter of moment in a hunting horse that must indure long time and toyle according to the old Prouerbe a lambe 2. Pr. 1. 18. will weigh an old sheepe in a long carriage yet it bringeth not such disaduantage in a running horse that must dispatch his labour in a trice in respect of the other if the difference bee not too great or the aduantage giuen the stronger and swifter horse through simplenesse of iudgement Halfe a stone is no great matter for foure miles if hee bee a strong horse For if the stronger horse carry halfe a stone or more then the other that is not so very great aduantage for a foure miles race as it is thought to be for it may be he is more able to carry that then the other is to carry his weight especially if hee haue any thing the better of speed without either of which or Wilfull folly is not to bee pittied both whosoeuer will wilfully hazard himselfe against the Pikes of his aduersary by giuing aduantage in weight he doth not deserue to be pittied or to haue a remedy giuen him for to cure his wound Yet because there is no man but shall sometimes bee ouer-reached in making a match I will show you how the disaduantage in waights may be mitigated so farre as reason and experience hath led me whereby there will bee proued no such great difference But first vnderstand me that I would not haue you too forward in giuing aduantage thereof vnlesse you know assuredly that you haue a greater difference in the goodnes of your horse The best remedy to recouer the disaduantage of waight yet if by any vrging occasions you are brought into this relapse the next way you haue is to feed strongly and breath so soundly as is possible for the impairing of his strength and withall to traine a stone or a stone and a halfe heauier then you are tyed to runne in your match and likewise let your horse haue heauy but yet handsome hunting shooes all the time you traine For the feeding home maintaineth strength and sound Note the effect exercise causeth good winde and toughnesse and the continuall carrying of such an extroradinary waight will so vse him to ride with that burthen that when hee shall come to ride his match and is disburthened of that extraordinary waight it will make him so light and giue him such ease that the waight will worke small aduantage for the other in regard hee will haue runne his course before his strength be so farre spent as that waight shall haue power to worke any hinderance There is also another aduantage which would not bee past ouer without some tast whereby you may the better iudge Aduantage by distance of way also how it is aduantage or disaduantage seeing it is not so indeed as it showeth in words And that is to haue aduantage giuen you by a certaine distance of way either at the beginning or at the ending or both And therefore if your Aduersary knoweth his horse to bee better then yours and hee to Of starting before worke you in by cunning offer to giue you tweluescore or a quarter of a mile aduantage and so you to start so farre before you may bee
then on the other as he feeleth the motion of the hand or cause him to carrie it continually on one side or at the least out of its due palce and further it will make him stay one side of his body Theo. 4. â— whilst hee bringeth on the other whereby hee will be subiect to roule and set hard and so much the rather if hee be any thing sadde Thirdly you must obserue to keepe your horse in continuall 3 motion without intermission in all his parts except it be when you let him stand for breath to cherish him and that it Theo. ibid. moue directly in the middest for both his sides must be alwaies going but this must be conceiued intellectiuely and iudged Theo. 16.b. by the quicknesse of your seat Fourthly you must obserue continually that the farre side is 4 Theo. 30.c. the slower in euery horse and the more hard to bee brought to command to keepe time willingly and therefore you must obserue with great care that the farre foote which is called the Theo. 30. â— The leading foote leading foote strike sleightly forward and largely and then the other legges will be more easily brought to the like Fiftly you must obserue to keepe true time with your helpes 5 and corrections and also to vse them at the very instant for as soone as euer you feele him begin the least disorder that can be then you must begin to helpe and likewise when you once Theo. 17. â— perceiue he maketh small accompt of your helps then you shall instantly vse corrections and likewise you must instantly cease at his first yeelding that hee may the better conceiue the cause Theo. 31. â— thereof Sixtly and lastly you must obserue not to hold him aboue a 6 day at the most to one certaine pace till hee can tell how to go fast or softly as your selfe will least his body be seated to a low Note manner of going he being suffered to take ease therein for then you will hardly get him to a higher rate except it bee with some other inconuenience when you would and also you must haue a care that you take not too much on him at one Theo. 17.h. i. time till hee can tell how to goe with ease and delight least thereby you make him weary and so cause a disorder in his carriage and abate his courage and be a meanes to stirre vp by-thoughts and so â—adish trickes neither must you leaue him too soone but let him adde somewhat euery time for so you â— Pr. 27. a. shall keepe him flexible otherwise he will loose his obedience and waxe stubborne whereby you shall not command him Chap. 1. when you would All which things if you obserue carefully and worke truly you shall bring your horse to goe delightfully and comely CHAP. 35. How to bring your Colt to his pace by the hand onely VVHen you haue brought your Colt to perfect command of his body and mouth then you may bee bold to offer him his pace without any danger of aduerse accidents a if you obserue those cautions in the last Chapter which you may effect after this manner First let the place where you meane to giue him his pace be along by a wall pale or hedge side and let not your roade be a The distance of the place of exercise aboue fiue or sixe score in length for that distance is sufficient for any horse to goe without a turne or sobbe till hee can tell how to demeane himselfe therein and further by his often turning at euery end it will make him keepe his body round and also learne him to let his winde goe by the motion of the same Whereas if he should haue his pace giuen him by going continually euen forward a mile or two as most vse it will make him more slow with his hinder parts and set his winde so doggedly that you cannot command his mouth but with great force and so spoyle it with striuing too much therewith Now when you are seated in your saddle you shall put him forward gently vpon his foot-pace and euer in his going cause b Of the seruing your horse with your body him to mend his foot-pace by mouing your selfe forward and backeward in your saddle and with the same time keep your legges in motion by ierting your feet forward in your stirrops letting your hands go and come with gentle motions obseruing the like time But if when you thrust him on faster he will not couch his hinde-legges as he should but desire to trot then giue him a sharpe touch in the mouth with your trench which at the first it may bee will but amaze him or cause a stay but bee you carelesse and suffer him not to stand but Pr. 22.g. keepe him still in going by the motions of your body and let him rest most vpon the head-straine for that must be cheefely Note vsed till his body bee stayed vpon his pace to preserue his Theo. 12. â— mouth from deading likewise you must obserue that your body must be the onely agent to helpe him in his stroake till he can tell how to lift his full side truely And thus you shall exercise him for halfe a quarter of an Ethic. li. 2. houre or indeed as you finde your horse at which if you finde Cap. 2. Quia singularia non cadunt sub aliqua arte aut certa regula A generall rule no alteration be not dismayed but vse patience for euery beginning is hard and alight from his back lest you disturbe him too much before hee can tell what to doe and lead him home for you must hold this for a generall rule in what horse soeuer that after you begin to worke for his pace not to ride him but lead him home till you haue brought him to some command or else in going home so often as you must before hee can tell how to vse himselfe therein hee will desire to goe so faste towards the stable that you shall not bee able to keepe his body in command and so spoyle his mouth Then let him rest an houre and a halfe or two houres and haue him forth againe working him still with your body and hands as afore neuer letting your elbowes stir from your sides Theo. 12.d. noâ— chocke him in the mouth except he desire to go faster then he should and then it must be very sparingly Likewise you must mitigate your hands vpon the headstaine reynes lest hee presse too hard therevpon and thereby Note come to haue a low fore-foote but let them come and goe with slacke reynes except he be tickle mouthed and then let him rest the more vpon it to stay his head And thus you shall vse him in exercise sixe or seauen times a day and within two dayes you shall feele him begin to set close though hee be very Theo. 14.f. vntoward hauing the
shall if his standing be large throw good store of straw vnder him as afore then take a soft girth and tye the one end of it about his How to make a horse lye down willingly of himselfe without any danger farre fore-legge vnder his fetlocke then with the other end tye vp his foot to the sursingle vnder his body hauing a care that it be well wadded with straw vpon his backe for pinching it then take another girth and cast it twice about the narre fore-legge vnder the fetlocke for slipping vp and holding both the buckles in your hand set your right shoulder to his left and vsing the helpe of your voyce as afore also pull his foot from the ground which being done hee must of necessity fall vpon his knees and being downe cherish him and vnloose the girth vnder his belly which must bee tyed vpon a draw-knot Note well for here is all the doubt for the purpose and let him rise with all his legges at liberty for if he should be suffered to rise afore it bee vnloosed he would feele a restraint and so cause him striue the more and therefore if he chance to rise before it be vnloosed cause him to goe downe againe and make what hast you can to vnloose him Then cherish him and leaue him for an houre or two after come to him againe and vse him in the like manner and so foure or fiue times a day and by the second day at night he will kneele downe so soone as he shall but feele his legge tyed vp though he be a very stubborne horse Which when hee will doe yet let him not rest too long for then he will think he hath In euery lesson there ought to be a daily addition till he hath learned it done what he should doe but after he will kneele downe willingly and haue no desire to bring in his hinder-parts to lye downe suffer him not to rise so soone as hee would but keepe him downe by holding the girth still in your hand vpon his knees halfe a quarter of an houre if need so require but I neuer had such need and vse the helpe of your voyce withall in saying downe downe and in two or three times so doing hee will couch his hinder parts and lye downe of himselfe which when hee is downe cherish him exceedingly and vnloose his girth and let him lye so long as he will And when you haue vsed him thus a day or two then you need tye vp his legge no more for so soone as hee shall but feele you take vp his narre legge and heare your voyce hee will bend himselfe to lye downe Then to make him doe it more artificially you shall take a sticke and beat it vpon the straw and withall vse your voyce and hold the girth in your The voice must giue him notice of your minde otherwise hee will do it when his foote shall be taken vp to be shod hand and so cause him to lye downe and within tenne daies or a fortninght at the most though he be neuer so vntoward you shall bring him to lye downe so soone as hee shall but see you clap with your sticke vpon the straw But if his standing be so straite that you haue not liberty but as you desire to haue him lye he resteth against the wall or partitions then you shall haue him into some empty house or barne where hee may haue store of straw vnder him and vse him as is said before Now the vse hereof is great both for pleasure and profit for it The vse thereof is delightfull to the beholders to see such strong and lusty creatures made so submissiue by Art and it doth set forth the loue and mercy of God towards man that although these creatures haue lost that voluntary obedience which they should Theo. 1. 2. haue yeelded to him if hee had stood in his first state yet hee hath left such knowledge remaining in man as to repaire that decay in some sort to the primary creation by Art so farre as is necessary for the vse of him that he might with the Prophet Dauid ponder and say with himselfe What is Man that thou art Psal 8. 4. so mindfull of him and the Sonne of Man that thou so regardest him And yet not to be proud thereof but with true humility to giue him thankes for his Fatherly prouidence in that he hath not taken away that soueraigne rule whereby these and all other creatures might haue beene without vse as we haue deserued but to acknowledge it to proceed from his loue sith wee haue not any thing which we haue not receiued for in him wee liue moue and haue our being And againe it is very profitable for all sorts of Horses whether What profit it bringeth in seruice they be for seruice hunting running or trauailing For if he be for seruice if he will lye downe at command it is a great ease for a man when he is loaden with his armour in getting vp into the saddle and the Horse also will take his ease more freely when he resteth And for either hunter or courser it is very pertinent for then assoone as he hath filled his belly at his times of feeding and What to the Hunter and Courser his bed soft shaken you may command him to lye downe which will be a great preseruer of his backe and strength and keep his legs nimble and warme what with the heate of his body and the litter And when he findeth ease thereby he will take such delight that when he is weary with lying of one side hee will rise and lay him downe on the other which will make him more able to endure his labour abroad And for the trauayling horse it will make him so domesticall that all strange places will be alike to him for wheresoeuer hee What profit to the trauayling horse commeth hee will couet to lye downe so soone as hee hath but slaked his hunger if he may haue but litter and roome which will refresh him as much as his meat CHAP. 18. How to exercise and traine a Running Horse THe difference betwixt the exercise of a Running Horse and a Hunter is not great but onely in continuance of labour for this dependeth vpon long and weary toyle and that vpon a quicke and speedy dispatch 2. Pra. 1. Wherefore if you perceiue either by his making or tryall that hee will not indure any long time in sore labour and yet finde him to be of great speed then you must let his exercise be after such sort as shall increase both his speed and winde which Idem would be after this manner First during the time of his trayning let his feeding dressing 1 2. Pra. 9. 10. 11. 12. watering cloathing and his exercise on his resting daies be in all respects and in all things as is set downe for your hunting horse And for his daies of labour